A cook at the Madison County Jail was arrested on Thursday after she reportedly brought in contraband for an inmate to sell so he could pay his bond.
According to officials with the Madison County Sheriff's Department, Sierra Vansickle, 22, has been charged in Madison County circuit court with the following charges:
- Dealing in cocaine or narcotic drug, a Level 4 felony
- Dealing in schedule I, II or III substance, a Level 5 felony
- Sexual misconduct by a service provider with a detainee, a Level 5 felony
- Trafficking with an inmate, a Level 5 felony
- Official misconduct, a Level 6 felony
- Misdemeanor charge of dealing in marijuana/hashish
The department said that Vansickle was employed as a cook from June 30 to when she was arrested on Thursday, as reported by Fox 59.
Investigation into Vansickle Started After Officials Became Aware of Drugs Being Trafficked into the Jail
Earlier this month, officials with the department became aware of potential drugs and contraband being trafficked into the Madison County Jail. Documents state that staff had been alerted by an inmate that a jail kitchen staff member, later identified as Vansickle, reportedly brought in contraband.
Investigators later learned that Vansickle was reportedly bringing in the contraband to an inmate she allegedly had sex with multiple times while working in the facility.
When Vansickle arrived at work on Thursday, she was taken into the jail commander's office and searched for contraband. Officials reportedly found a "foreign substance wrapped in something black" in the middle of a ham sandwich, as well as multiple packages, including THC vape cartridges, Oxycodone pills, suboxone strips, among other drugs.
Vansickle Admitted to Having Sex with the Inmate in the Basement Mop Closet
In an interview with Vansickle, she said that she became acquainted with an inmate when she started as a cook. A romantic relationship between her and the inmate "started very early in her employment," she told investigators, which included the two reportedly having sex in a basement mop closet.
Vansickle reportedly told investigators that she began to bring contraband into the facility for the inmate, including a vape and THC cartridges for vape pens. Eventually, items started to be delivered to Vansickle outside the jail for her to bring in, something that was reportedly organized by inmates inside the jail.
During the interview, Vansickle reportedly told investigators that she was never paid for anything she had done, stating that she did it "thinking she was helping (the inmate) out because he was supposed to be using the money he made from this to pay his bond."
An initial hearing for this case was conducted in Madison County circuit court on Friday afternoon. Because the investigation is still open and other arrests are possible, the department said it would not comment on any more specific details of the investigation.
