A Pulaski County jail deputy was arrested Wednesday afternoon, accused of allowing a prisoner to be attacked by fellow prisoners on two occasions, the sheriff's office said.
Robert Phillips, 27, of 8701 Interstate 30, Apartment 214 was arrested at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at the sheriff's office, according to an arrest report. Phillips, employed at the jail since Dec. 2, 2013, was charged with two counts of abuse of office, a misdemeanor.
Phillips was released on a $1,000 bond and faces a May 19 court date in Pulaski County District Court, the report states.
"The warrants stem from an investigation into allegations Phillips allowed an inmate to be attacked on two different occasions by other inmates," sheriff's office spokesman Capt. Carl Minden said in an email. "The investigation concluded that Phillips did not follow proper protocols in stopping and reporting the attacks."
In a Wednesday afternoon phone interview, Minden said Phillips was responsible for running the unit where the attacks took place.
The same prisoner, whom the sheriff's office hasn't identified, was targeted in both attacks, Minden said. In the first attack, on March 28, the prisoner wasn't seriously injured, but after the second attack, on April 6, the prisoner was treated by the medical staff.
"With the second incident, he did have some significant injuries," Minden said.
Each attack involved two to three aggressors, Minden said, and at least one aggressor was involved in both attacks.
Sheriff's office investigators are obtaining warrants for the prisoners who committed the attacks, Minden said. He said the prisoners involved could be charged with battery.
Phillips reportedly has been placed on administrative leave with pay, pending a disciplinary hearing.
Phillips' arrest is the second of a jail deputy in the past three weeks.
Demon Tate was arrested March 28 in connection with contraband reportedly smuggled into the lockup. Tate was charged with possession of a controlled substance with purpose to deliver, possession of drug paraphernalia and three counts of furnishing prohibited articles.
Court records show three dates when the purported offenses occurred: March 28, March 26 and March 18.
Tate has pleaded innocent to the charges. He was fired March 31 after an internal hearing.
Metro on 04/16/2015