SCOTT COUNTY JAILER CHARGED WITH DRUG SALE

Scott County Sheriff Anthony Lay arrested and charged one of his
department's jailers Monday for selling drugs to an inmate.

"This is the beginning of a clean-up at the Scott County Sheriff's
Department," Lay said this morning.

Lay organized an undercover sting after a prisoner alleged that
21-year-old Joshua Ryan Byrd, a jailer since January, had offered to
sell cigarettes and drugs.

That prisoner was given $40 so he could request marijuana, pills or
cocaine from Byrd, the sheriff said.

Sunday morning at 8:48 a.m., Byrd produced a quarter-gram of cocaine
as he transported the prisoner in the jail's elevator, the sheriff said.

Yesterday, Byrd was forced to hand over his badge. He was charged
with introducing narcotics into a penal facility, selling cocaine
and selling pain pills.

"I hope that Mr. Byrd doesn't make other citizens in the United
States look down on law enforcement," Lay said. "Mr. Byrd is a
disgrace to law enforcement and a disappointment to his co-workers."

In a voluntary statement, Byrd cited financial strain from his low
pay as a jailer as a motive for the sale.

"He said he was underpaid and he needed the extra money to catch
bills up," Lay said.

Starting salary for a jailer in Scott County is $17,198. Lay said he
began proceedings months ago to get the county's commission to
increase the salary of his employees to "modern-day standards."

Byrd is being detained in Blount County due to his former employment
in the Scott County jail. He will face a judge Wednesday morning at 9 a.m.