County officer arrested on drug charges

By Staff
Melissa Cason
A Franklin County corrections officer has been arrested and charged with promoting prison contraband after allegedly supplying an inmate with prescription drugs at the Franklin County Jail.
Franklin County Sheriff Larry Plott said Joshua Earl Ridge, 24, of 503 McCarthy Drive, Red Bay, was charged with two counts of second-degree promoting prison contraband and two counts of unlawful possession of a controlled substance after helping an inmate, Douglas Alton Vincent, 49, of 82 Franklin 56, Russellville, obtain prescription medication.
Plott said Ridge allegedly took Vincent, who had a prescription for hydrocodone, to the pharmacy to have the prescription filled, and took possession of the medication for Vincent in order to get the pills into the jail.
In return, Ridge was to get some of the medication for his own personal use.
"Mr. Ridge had been employed with us for three to four months," Plott said. "He had no previous criminal background at the time of his hire."
Plott said the department began investigating Ridge after being notified that a corrections officer could be involved with getting drugs inside the jail.
"It's unfortunate these things happen, but it shows the public that we police our own people," Plott said. "We have policies and procedures and when they are not followed there will be consequences because they know better."
Second-degree promoting prison contraband and unlawful possession of a controlled substance are both Class C felonies, which are punishable with one year and one day to 10 years in prison, if convicted.
Ridge was released on $5,000 bond while Vincent remains in the Franklin County Jail.