FORT DODGE, Iowa — A former correctional officer with the Webster County Jail has been arrested and charged with helping an inmate escape, according to the sheriff's office.
The Webster County Sheriff's Office says that Jordan Mefferd escaped the county jail on the night of Dec.12. He was located and brought back to jail roughly two hours later.
Authorities said that investigators found that Michelle Valenti, 30, of Fort Dodge committed "numerous alleged criminal violations" to help Mefferd escape.
Valenti has been charged with four Class D felonies:
- Permitting a prisoner to escape
- Introducing contraband
- Introducing electronic contraband
- Furnishing a controlled substance
She also faces an aggravated misdemeanor for alleged sexual misconduct with offenders.
Valenti is being held on a $22,000 bond and made her initial appearance in Webster County Magistrate Court on Tuesday.
In a statement posted to Facebook, Sheriff Luke Fleener said he holds all of his employees "to a higher standard, not only to myself as their sheriff, but also to each citizen of Webster County, who we proudly serve and work for while in uniform, day in and day out."
"I cannot and will not tolerate these types of actions and conduct. As this investigation continues, any other employees that have violated policies or protocols will be addressed accordingly, including any criminal charges that may be warranted," the statement says. "Michelle Valenti has violated the trust of her former co-workers here at the Sheriff's Office, along with the trust that our citizens have in us to carry out our duties on a daily basis in a manner proscribed by law."
Fleener's statement concludes with a plea for residents to understand Valenti's alleged actions do not define those of the department who "work diligently each day to fulfill their duties serving the citizens of Webster County."