By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher
The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation today arrested former Columbia Police Detective Sherriann Fortenberry and an ex-jail guard on felony charges of delivering a cell phone to an inmate.
Marsha Gholar is the former Marion Walthall Correctional Facility guard charged with delivering a cell phone to an inmate. The affidavit states that Fortenberry, 53, 1317 Browns Ave., Columbia, and Gholar, 31, 66 Lampton Heights Lane, Columbia, in April of 2010 delivered a cell phone to an inmate incarcerated at the Marion Walthall Correctional Facility. To see Fortenberry’s affidavit, click this link: Affidavit
It is unclear if Fortenberry’s and Gholar’s cases are related. Fortenberry’s affidavit states that she delivered a cell phone to an inmate on April 23 while Gholar’s affidavit only says she delivered a cell phone in April of 2010.
A Justice Court warrant was issued today for Fortenberry and Gholar. Their initial court appearance in Marion County Justice Court was held this afternoon before Judge Gwen Broom, who set bond at $7,500. Gholar and Fortenberry have both posted bond and were apparently not incarcerated.
Prior to them being arrested today, a probable cause hearing was held in Marion County Circuit Court before Judge R.I. Prichard III. Judge Prichard signed an order that found that adequate probable cause existed for the issuance of an arrest warrant. In the probable cause hearing this morning, two Mississippi Bureau of Investigation officers testified. Fortenberry failed to appear at the probable cause hearing, while Gholar showed up but waived her rights to the formal hearing.
Broom said it will now be left up to the Grand Jury if there is an indictment against Fortenberry and Gholar. Fortenberry was fired by the Columbia Board of Aldermen last week after being placed on paid leave pending the investigation. She and Gholar have declined comment to the Marion County Informer. Gholar was last employed by the county on April 23 and had worked for the county since August 2008. Fortenberry had worked for the Columbia Police Department for 18 years.
The affidavit alleges that Gholar and Fortenberry violated state statute 47-5-193, which states,” It is unlawful for any officer or employee of the department, of any county sheriff’s department, of any private correctional facility in this state in which offenders are confined or for any other person to furnish, attempt to furnish, or assist in furnishing to any offender confined in this state any weapon, deadly weapon, unauthorized electronic device, cell phone, or any of its components or accessories to include, but not limited to, Subscriber Information Module (SIM) cards, chargers, etc. or contraband item. It is unlawful for any person to take, attempt to take, or assist in taking any weapon, deadly weapon, unauthorized electronic device or contraband item cell phone, or any of its components or accessories to include, but not limited to, Subscriber Information Module (SIM) cards, chargers, etc. or contraband item on property belonging to the department which is occupied or used by offenders, except as authorized by law.”
I think its a load of crap! I went to school with Sherrianns daughter and have known her personally for quite a while, Marion County and the State of Mississippi are just looking for someone to mess with.
When ALL the facts are uncovered I personally feel she will be fully exonerated and is due an apology not only from the City of Columbia but the State Prosecutors office as well.
My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family Sherriann, hold your head up high and know the real truth will come out in the wash!
Thank u for saying that..! It was well put and so true.!
It is a shame they only want to get da ones they dont like or da ones that are doing their jobs but they are alot of the imates dat has a phone but the officers aint da one giving to them it is da trustees… but ya ll want never listen to us…
I do NOT see how either can complain about the law being followed whith either of them being charged for a CRIME. It is a CRIME to give a cell phone to an inmate due to the inability to MONITOR the inmates use of the cell phone. They could be calling to threaten/intimidate witnesses or any number of other CRIMES.
If the 2 charged and arrested are innocent, then they will have their day in court just as anybody else gets. If I had been committing a CRIME, you can bet your bottom dollar that Det. Fortenberry would have charged/arrested me and let me prove my innocense in a court of law. Just because one carries a badge and is sworn to uphold the law does NOT mean they are NOT subject to the law!
Well said, 2cents.
Where are Fortenberry and Gholar’s mug shots? Joe Van Parkman’s were in the news media for all to see. Fair is fair!
And u r sick..just plan nosey,,God bless u .!
Last time I checked, it is MY business since I am a CITIZEN of Columbia/Marion County. I pay TAXES just as MOST people. In case you are so slow to realize, TAXES are how the PAYCHECKS are made possible for EMPLOYEES of Columbia/Marion County.
Obviously, you do NOT have any real BUSINESS to attend to because you are too MINDING MINE!
If you are offended by people having the RIGHT to say what they think, then DO NOT click the link to be able to read other people’s opinions/comments?
I could care less what YOU think about what I have to say. From what I have read, you do NOT have a REAL opinion for me to debate.
2cents I whole heartedly agree with your comment.
I do believe that if u don’t want ur picture in the paper you can pay not to have it in there. I know a woman that did that. She got arrest for simple assault but it was never posted because she paid for it not to be.
Fortenberry and Gholar did not have booking photos taken because they were not incarcerated. They were arrested and posted bond after their initial appearances in Justice Court.
Josh Mitchell
Publisher
Marion County Informer
thanks for clearing that up
So, the jail docket is really an arrest record, Josh? I didn’t know that. I thought it was incarcerations.
Thanks Josh for giving the reason as to why you were unable to include mug shots with the article.
However, I do question why there were NOT any booking photos taken when they were arrested and obviously immediately posted bond.
With that said, were they treated just as anyone else that would have been charged, arrested, and bonded? I believe I remember Joe Van Parkman’s case being treated as a 3-ring circus. I believe that I remember that he surrendered himself, was arrested, and immediately posted bond as well just as these 2 did with one exception: he had his mug shot splashed through out all news media outlets. So why did he have his photo taken when apparently it is NOT a necessary policy to be followed for ALL people arrested? I am sure he, or anyone else for that matter, did not enjoy having their mug shot taken and posted for all to see. I am sure that no one wants to be embarrassed and/or humiliated in such manner. So why were they spared the same embarrassment as ANYONE else in the SAME situation? He was an officer of the law as well, and I personally believe that he was a good man and good police officer. Several people have commented that Detective Fortenberry was being targeted by people who did not like her and that is why she is in this predicament. Well, many people believe that Joe Van Parkman was a target as well. So, for as I can see, BOTH officers are in the same predicament with that belief system and neither should be granted what the other was not!
I am just a firm believer in EQUALITY and believe that everyone should be treated the same no matter who they are. But, I guess that is not a belief held or supported by all.
I believe her son is correct. God will take care of this family. I’m praying for the detective and the entire department.
It truly is sad that a lasp in judgement cost two people their jobs. I’m not going to say that all of the trustees housed there are “bad”, lets’s face it they are convicts that play on the kindness of others. You’ll hear them (inmates) say they want to be treated like a regular person, then when a civilian does they misuse the trust. I’m sure there are a few that value the relationship that was formed, but an inmate is an inmate. It’s sad that this happened to det. Fortenberry and ofc. Gholar, but it was against they law. Don’t think h ad anything to do with them not doing their jobs, or being of ethnic orgin or political background. The law was broken.
I AGREE 2 CENTS. THEY DID NOT HESITATE TO POST JOE VAN’S PICTURE ALL OVER THE PLACE, WHY NOT THESE TWO????? WHAT’S GOOD FOR ONE SHOULD BE GOOD FOR THE OTHER
You REAP WHAT YOU SOW!
I’d like to see the mug shots also!!!
It wud seem that little concern is expressed by some when law men and women break the law. They may be innocent but these post including her son who is a police chief act as if its alright to break the freakin law a little bit. Gimme a break!!!!!!! Why do we have laws if not to keep order. A cell phone in the hands of an inmate can cause havock.
For almost 20 years combined, both of these individuals have hailed others accountable for their actions by up holding and enforcing the law. So what’s different now that each of them have supposedly broken the law? They need to be held accountable for their actions as well.
The law is the law is the law. This law was passed for a reason.
How would someone who supplied an inmate with a cell phone know the inmate it was given to would be the only person to use it? There a bad people in jail. That’s why they are incarcerated. There are limitless situations where free communication in the hands of a person with malice could do harm to law enforcement personnel, investigations, or people they hold grudges against.
Glad to see the law being enforced blindly, and not selectively. No one person in the U.S. is supposed to be above the law of the land.
I agree that cell phones don’t belong behind bars. Just read a story where they confiscated more than 300 of them at one prison. This is a problem—a big problem.
SOME OF U SEEM TO FORGET INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GHILTY
The old “innocent until proven guilty” phrase only applies when your are within the boundaries of a courtroom and a trial is in progress.
More like Guilty Until Proven Innocent.
well since the officers got in trouble wat happen to the imates that has da phone since ya ll say they gave an imate a phone? proably nothing!!! i know of a time a immate got caught with a phone and they just took it dat is suppose to a extra 5 years on there sentence but like most people say they only mess with who they want to…
Im going to translate this…if possible.
“Well, since the officers got into trouble, what will happen to the inmates that has the phone, since you all say they gave an inmate a phone? (OMG what a run on) Probably nothing. I know of a time an inmate got caught with a phone and they just took it, That is supposed to be an extra five years on their sentence. But, like most people, they only mess with who they want to mess with.”
Close enuff? Sry I cudnt unnerstand all that. Had to reread it…numerous times.
OMG….simple words people. Examples:
WHAT-wat
THE-da
THAT-dat
PROABLY-probably
In this case THERE-their
I would rather see people comment freely than hold their thoughts because of some kind of spelling deficiency. Some people just have trouble writing. Get over it. If you can’t understand what someone writes, you could ask questions for clarification rather than make fun of the person. That’s mean.
Thanks.
To FKAC:
I think the person was trying to be satirycal, not mean. To me, it does diminish the true meaning of the English language when a person is too lazy to take the time to spell the whole word and resorts to text message type shortcuts.
Thank you Citizen1961. Ah jes caint reed all dat udder stuf
I wasn’t making fun of them. It is very common words and if they have time to type dis and dat, why not this and that?
It is so crazy how the state is investigating our law officers…. WHAT ABOUT OUR COURT DEPARTMENT??? THIS IS WHERE WE HAVE A BIGGGG PROBLEM!!!! My family has witnessed this first hand! If the state would spend more time looking into our court department and our system the Law Officers could be second!!!! Marion county has problems that the state has not seen… Ms Fortenberry is a great person and I feel for her and her family for the accusations against her when there is much worse problems than these!!!!
If you have knowledge of an officer of the court breaking MS laws, contact the MS Attorney General’s office. Just because there can be problems elsewhere, that doesn’t discount the accused ex-officer Fortenberry from wrongdoing.
Democrats at work again
Somethings aren’t the democrats fault. Why rlate it to politics when ia person screws up. Why can’t it just be their fault
no one ever had anything to say about a democrat until obama got in office
the police and the mayor of columbia,need to go after some true crime, rather than some one who is trying to help people for real. we should have voted more carefully than we did. remember this is columbia, the law here is only for the ones who is in office and covering their on ass.
To love:
I believe the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation investigated and made the arrest in this case, not the CPD or the MCSO. Also, are you okay with law enforcement breaking laws and not being held responsible?
Could you please define “true crime”?
My definition of a crime is when a MS law has been broken.
law enforcement is and will be held to a higher standard, but in the cell phone case there’s nothing to think about, if they gave a cell phone to an inmate they put the entire system in danger and they should pay the price for their actions.With a cell phone they can make a call out and have anything or anyone put in harms way. You bleeding heart liberals, get use to the fact that no ones immune and will be held accountable for their actions, whether you know them, or you like them. They put everyone in danger, especially other officers.This is no small action or infraction that has been breached. cc23
Laws broken, arrests made. Doesn’t make a darn bit of difference what your “occupation” might be. Law Enforcement is sworn to uphold the law. If these two people are proven guilty, let the legal system deal with them. This termination is LONG overdue…..there have been more than one questionable incident involving this detective.
I agree wit most of u. Yes da court system needs 2 be looked at as well. But we all kno who sits high and looks low. He knows it all. Da Lord knows whos doin right and wrong. So to all he’ll get da last say so in the matter cuz leavin it 2 man it’ll never be done right. To all involved pray believe and trust in da Lord for he will make a way out of no way…
FOR ALL THESE BIG BADD TALKIN NEGETIVE PEOPLE WILL U PLEASE POST UR PICTURE ON UR PROFILE OR YOUR REAL NAME!!!!PLEASE!!!!!!!
You first.
That is EXACTLY what I was thinking J!
TrF:
If you want someone to post their picture, put your picture up for all to see! Or maybe you are NOT as technologically advanced as you want to appear and can NOT. If not, then what is the reason YOU have the SAME generic picture as everyone else?
No thanks.I won’t until Josh requires it, and then I’ll skip out and quit posting!!!
Evidently no brain at work there. Guess he or she was the schoolyard bully. That’s why equalizers are made.
I’m with you TrF.