CLEVELAND, OH — A Cuyahoga County corrections officer accused of accepting more than $1,500 to smuggle fast food and a smartwatch to inmates in his unit resigned rather than face a disciplinary hearing, according to newly-released records.
Corrections Officer Preston Chandler worked in the jail for about 18 months before resigning in November.
Investigators said during his time as a jailer, Chandler brought food to at least three inmates in his unit no fewer than five times.
In at least one case, sheriff's deputies said Chandler met a woman and got paid to smuggle a Tupperware container of food and candy to an inmate
The 35-year-old is also accused of buying a smartwatch for an inmate and smuggling it into the jail.
In exchange, investigators said the officer was paid between $1,500 and $3,000.
"He violated the public trust and violated the trust and safety and security of not only the jail but all of his co-workers," said Adam Chaloupka with the Ohio Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, the union representing the county's corrections officers.
Chaloupka questioned whether Chandler ever should have worked in the jail.
"In this case, I had learned around the time of the investigation that he had at least a felony arrest," said Chaloupka.
In addition, News 5 Investigators found court records showing Chandler had an arrest warrant on misdemeanor criminal charges in Franklin County at the same time he was hired to work in Cuyahoga County's jail.
Records show Chandler was convicted of misdemeanor criminal trespass in that case in August.
The union is renewing calls for better screening of applicants to become corrections officers.
Last June, Chaloupka told News 5 Investigators he would like to see deeper background checks and polygraph tests for applicants.
In the eight months since, he said he's heard talk of potential changes in the county's hiring practices.
Now he believes it's time to act.
"You need to do your due diligence that you're at least somewhat confident there's nothing that just shouts at you in their background checks that might cause a situation like this," said Chaloupka.
