Volusia County corrections officer accused of sexual misconduct, bringing contraband to jail
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VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. - A Volusia County corrections officer was arrested Wednesday afternoon on a handful of felony and misdemeanor charges including sexual misconduct and introducing contraband into a detention facility, according to a spokesperson for the county.
Lt. Jonathan Harding was arrested at around 1 p.m. Wednesday and was brought to the Volusia County Branch Jail, where he remains in administrative segregation, according to officials. Harding is currently on unpaid administrative leave pending the outcome of a trial.
He was charged with the following:
Felony sexual misconduct involving an employee/inmate
Felony unlawful use of a two-way communication device
Felony introduction of contraband to county detention facility (2 counts)
Misdemeanor introduction of contraband to county detention facility
These charges were brought about after other corrections officers "became aware of suspicious activity" involving Harding earlier this month, according to the county. They reported it to Internal Affairs, which began to investigate. Sufficient evidence was found and Harding was "reassigned to duties outside the Corrections Division," and the Volusia County Sheriff's Office took over the investigation.
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The suspicious activity was not immediately made clear, nor was the evidence found during the internal investigation.
The corrections officer, who began his career with Volusia County Corrections in 2011, is scheduled to make his first appearance in court at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday. According to officials, he had not received any disciplinary actions prior to his arrest.
"Should he remain in or return to custody, he will be transferred to a correctional facility outside of Volusia County for the duration of his pretrial detainment or until a bond is posted," the county spokesperson said.
"Volusia County Corrections Administration and Internal Affairs cooperated fully with the Volusia Sheriff’s Office and District Attorney’s Office for the duration of the investigation and will continue to do so," the county added.
This is a developing story.
