Ex-jail officer placed on probation for smuggling contraband to inmate

10/30/2013

A former corrections officer at the Lucas County jail who admitted to delivering tobacco to an inmate was placed on probation today for one year.

Lucas County Common Pleas Judge Gene Zmuda also ordered Michelle Vining, 33, of 3646 Drummond Rd., to perform 200 hours of community service and told her she could not seek employment as a corrections officer or any type of law enforcement job.

Ms. Vining pleaded guilty last week to two counts of dereliction of duty, a second-degree misdemeanor, after admitting she took tobacco to inmate Jesse Perez at least two times between Jan. 1 and July 19.

Judge Zmuda pointed out that she had lost her job, forfeited her vehicle, and chosen not to fight a potentially improper search of her vehicle on the day of her arrest at the jail. She said last week in court that she had accepted a package containing drugs to deliver to Mr. Perez July 20, but that she did not take it in with her when she got to work.

Ms. Vining, along with Salina Perez, 29, and Mr. Perez, 33, originally were indicted on felony counts of aggravated trafficking in drugs, trafficking in marijuana, and illegal conveyance of drugs of abuse onto the grounds of a specified government facility.

Ms. Perez has a hearing in her case Nov. 6, while Mr. Perez failed to appear at his last court appearance. A warrant for his arrest was issued.