A Cartersville woman has been charged with meeting prison inmates at a Floyd County School during the night hours and providing contraband and alcohol to the work crew. The Floyd County Prison is now investigating the incident.
According to the Floyd County Police Department, Angela Machel Chastain, 43, was arrested shortly after midnight Tuesday and charged with criminal trespass and three counts of providing contraband to inmates.
Patrol officers responded to Johnson Elementary School (1839 Morrison Campground Road) at 1130 p.m. Monday for a burglar alarm. When they arrived a prison work van was found parked at the front door alongside a silver Nissan sportscar. The prison detail officer was not aware the vehicle was outside and advised it was not there when the crew arrived.
The Floyd County Board of Education contracts with the Floyd County Prison for inmate labor and performs work assignments at the request of the school board. On this date they were at the school to pressure washing the bus drop off, but they had access to all common areas of the building.
Officers searched the car, which had its door open, and found car keys, a purse and cell phone inside the vehicle. Chastain eventually appeared from a far corner of the building and announced she was the owner of the vehicle.
The woman identified the inmate who she was meeting but claimed she had permission to visit. Following interviews with the inmate work crew and detail officer, it was determined that three of the inmates had been drinking alcoholic beverages.
The investigation of the inmates and detail officer was turned over to the Floyd County Prison and Warden Mike Long.