A nurse at a South Carolina prison has been charged for allegedly engaging in sexual activities with an inmate. An arrest warrant revealed that a mobile phone, smuggled into the facility, contained explicit videos of the involved inmate.
Courtney Williams, 36, was taken into custody on Wednesday after a relationship that lasted around two months with an inmate who was “under her direct care and supervision,” according to the warrant reviewed.
Prosecutors in Richland County claimed Williams “exploited her official role and authority to enable the act” and even “planned to engage in sexual encounters within her workplace at the prison.”
It’s alleged that Williams brought a cell phone into the male-only Kirkland Reception and Assessment Center for an unidentified inmate, using it to exchange about 1,000 text messages between March 30 and May 29.
They reportedly “shared sexually explicit messages, with [Williams] detailing their sexual encounters,” as stated by an investigative official.
She allegedly transmitted explicit images and videos, including one of her participating in sexual acts with the inmate, according to the warrant.
Evidence gathered from both the inmate’s and Williams’s cell phones, along with video footage and witness statements, confirmed that they had engaged in penetrative sex.
Not long after the allegations were raised, she resigned from her position with the South Carolina Department of Corrections while an investigation was ongoing.
Williams had recently worked as a nurse for the state Juvenile Justice Department but left her post earlier this month amidst an undisclosed investigation.
She now faces charges of first-degree sexual misconduct and bribery, which could lead to a 10-year prison sentence if she’s convicted.
