Prison guard arrested on drug trafficking charge

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — A security guard at an Alabama prison was arrested on drug trafficking charges, the state prison system said Thursday.

Law enforcement agents arrested Alesia Jarrett on Tuesday, the Alabama Department of Corrections said. Jarrett is a prison guard at Elmore Correctional Facility.

Jarrett was found in possession of about 250 grams of methamphetamine, the prison system said in a news release. She had been under investigation for suspected drug smuggling into the facility, the agency said.

Court records were not immediately available to show if Jarrett has a lawyer to speak on her behalf.

She is charged with conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine, promoting prison contraband and an ethics charge of using her position for personal gain. Jail records show that she is being held on a $1.5 million bond.