ELYRIA, Ohio — A former Lorain County corrections officer faces dereliction of duty charges following a December incident in which investigators say Christopher Jackson failed to follow protocol and created a serious security issue inside the jail.
A grand jury charged 60-year-old Jackson with negligently failing to control an unruly prisoner, allowing a prisoner to escape and failing to follow jail regulations during the December 29, 2024, incident.
Investigators said an inmate threw feces at Jackson, and the officer responded by confronting the man in his cell.
Jail video showed Jackson shove the man and then appear to throw punches at him.
The man then takes off but is caught after a short chase through the jail.
Sheriff Jack Hall said Jackson broke policy by not waiting for backup before entering the man’s cell and not securing the unit, allowing the man to escape his cell.
Jackson, who was hired in 2008, was fired in April.
RELATED: Lorain Co. corrections officer fired; case sent to prosecutor for potential charges
A union attorney said Jackson appealed that firing, but a decision is not expected until fall.
The dereliction of duty charges are second-degree misdemeanors.
Last Friday, another Lorain County jailer was indicted.
RELATED: Lorain County corrections officer charged for allegedly breaking inmate's neck 2 years ago
Brian Tellier was placed on unpaid leave after he was charged with felonious assault, tampering, and dereliction of duty connected to a May 2023 incident inside the jail in which Tellier was accused of breaking a man’s neck, leaving him partially paralyzed and then lying about what happened to supervisors.
