OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — After months of security problems and two escapes, Osceola County has finally named its top pick to take over as chief of the jail Wednesday. Orange County Corrections Major Sherry Johnson may soon be named as the new permanent Osceola County jail chief.
Johnson is currently a major at the Orange County jail and she hasn't officially been hired yet. The Orange County major doesn't have the job yet, because she hasn't met all the top officials. The informal meetings will wrap up Wednesday.
"The county has interviewed five candidates and selected a candidate to go to phase two of that process," Osceola Co. Public Information Officer Larry Krause said.
Johnson met with several officials Wednesday as part of a meet and greet. She was introduced to head Judge Belvin Perry, the Osceola County sheriff and commissioners. According to her bio, Johnson is a 22-year veteran of the corrections profession. She became the first female major in the Orange County Corrections Department's history.
Osceola's former jail chief, Greg Futch, resigned a couple of months ago following several problems at the jail.
If Johnson ends up taking the top job, she will have to work on a facility that's had numerous problems in the past year and a half. Some of those issues include two escaped inmates, including Michael Rigby who escaped in February. He was captured two months later in New Jersey. Also, two inmates were mistakenly released.
A corrections officer was arrested for her role in a violent escape plot, but her plan was foiled by other guards. Also, another guard was caught delivering illegal drugs to inmates.
Last month, the county suspended at least 13 jail workers because of red flags on their background checks. They had been hired without extensive background checks.
The salary range for the jail chief position is between $107,000 to $144,000. The county could make a formal announcement by the end of the week.
WFTV
