Fri. Feb 14th, 2025

Two more charged with deputies in jail drug smuggling case

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MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A man and woman, one of whom is an inmate, are facing charges after two corrections deputies were accused of bringing drugs into the jail, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday.

Romarus Turner, 33, is charged with bribery of a public official, bringing contraband into a penal facility and possession of marijuana with intent to sell.

Court records indicate he was booked in the jail in 2020 on a long list of violent charges.

Katurah Lewis, 33, also is charged with bribery of a public official, bringing contraband into a penal facility and possession of marijuana with intent to sell. Officials say she is Turner’s girlfriend.

They join corrections deputies Joshua Williams and Lillie Pittman, who were both arrested Friday and charged with bribery of a public servant, introducing/possessing contraband in a penal facility, possession of marijuana with intent to manufacture/deliver/sell, and official misconduct.

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Williams and Pittman were corrections deputies. WREG broke that part of the story Friday, when they were indicted and arrested.

Sheriff Floyd Bonner was clearly very frustrated Tuesday, saying he stands by his deputies but when they are wrong he wants them held accountable to the fullest extent.

This case started back in September.

Investigators are saying it was one of their frequent searches that got them started on this case. They say Williams and Pittman were working with Turner and his girlfriend Katurah Lewis to smuggle in marijuana and tobacco.

Right now they aren’t saying how it was brought into the jail.

But back in October a search warrant was executed at Lewis’ home, where they say they found a quarter-pound of marijuana and other evidence. Warrants were also executed at the deputy jailer’s home where they say they also found contraband packaged to be smuggled into the jail.

The sheriff said Pittman was actually the class president of her recruitment class in 2022.

It is believed the accused scheme netted thousands of dollars over the last few months.

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