FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — A former Fulton County detention officer is behind bars and facing numerous charges after investigators say she took $17,000 in bribes in exchange for delivering contraband, including pills, to inmates.
On Monday, the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) confirmed the Oct. 4 arrest of Karmen Bailey, 31.
Bailey, who remained in jail Monday, is charged with four counts of violation of oath, two counts of bribery, and two counts of obtaining/procuring/giving inmates prohibited items without authorization.
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It doesn’t appear that she has retained counsel, according to court records.
An arrest affidavit also accused Bailey of allowing investigators to search her phone, which revealed that she took bribes from the mother and brother of Marquavious Huey, one of the six defendants currently standing trial in the YSL RICO case against hip hop superstar Young Thug.
On May 6, cellphone records showed that Huey’s mother paid Bailey $500 via Apple Pay, according to court records.
“This would cause a reasonable person to believe it influenced her job performance because Ms. Bailey failed to perform the official action of seizing contraband (e.g. substance appearing to be white pills) from inmate Huey,” wrote an investigator in an arrest affidavit dated September 24.
The investigator added that Bailey escorted Huey and an unidentified inmate to a restricted area, where they sold the drugs to other inmates, according to court records.
On July 7, investigators accused Huey’s brother of paying Bailey $1,000.
Then on July 13, investigators alleged that surveillance video recorded showed Bailey escorting Huey and another unidentified inmate into a restricted area, where they “delivered two packages,” according to the arrest affidavit.
Court records did not reveal what contraband was in the two packages, but investigators believe they may have contained drugs and cell phones.
Investigators also alleged that one of the packages was given to Marcus Foley, 48.
Foley, who has been in jail since June 2023, is awaiting trial on numerous charges, including murder and criminal street gang activity.
In a statement to Channel 2′s Michael Seiden, attorneys for Huey addressed the allegations against their client:
“Unfortunately, it has become all too common that we hear about allegations of corruption, bribery, and violations of oath of office by the men and women responsible for housing and securing those individuals who are in custody within the Fulton County Jail,” wrote Careton Matthews Sr. and Careton R. Matthews Jr. “Our client, who has been in continuous custody since December 2021, is cloaked with a presumption of innocence as to all of these recent allegations; and we will litigate this case in the courtroom; where all issues of proof will be zealously tested.”
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The investigation, which began after officials said two unidentified inmates reported Bailey’s alleged criminal actions, also revealed that she was working with the family and associates of at least five inmates, including Osama Manuel, 29, who is currently awaiting trial on murder and gang charges, according to jail records.
Authorities say Bailey used a meal tray to hide contraband in the food and then delivered the tray to Manuel’s cell, according to surveillance video reviewed by investigators.
Investigators are calling this an “ongoing investigation” and would not confirm if any of the inmates’ family members or associates would face charges.
Officials confirmed that Bailey began her career with FCSO in September 2023 before she submitted her resignation on August 27.
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