UPDATE: Angola guards having sex with prisoners

An employee shakedown at Louisiana's most famous prison has revealed guards having sex with inmates and smuggling drugs into the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola.

One guard even had an offender's name tattooed on her arm and her name was tattooed on his, Louisiana Corrections Department officials said following their investigation.

In all, West Feliciana Sheriff's officers have arrested four Angola employees, while prison officials fired another employee and placed another on administrative leave since Saturday.

Corrections Secretary Jimmy LeBlanc said part of the problem is the inability to attract better guards because of low pay.

Starting pay for corrections officers at Angola is $12.70 per hour with $100 per month "location pay."

"Overall it's been a significant challenge for us with turnover and who we're getting to interview (for the jobs)," LeBlanc said Wednesday morning in an interview with USA Today Network. ""That's why I'm pushing for (a 10 percent pay increase).

"Unfortunately, there's is more to this than probably any of us know."

Following are the results of the investigation:

On Saturday Kentricia Ware, 24, 1746 Tenner Road, Natchez, Miss., admitted to having sex and an inappropriate relationship with an offender, and accepting $400 from that offender. Deputies booked Ware with felony malfeasance in office and sexual misconduct. Ware resigned during the investigation. She had worked at Angola as a cadet since Oct. 2, 2017.

Also on Saturday during a routine employee shakedown, Angola investigators discovered drugs and a large amount of cash in the vehicle of Tyleyiah Wrights, 20, 570 79th Ave. Apartment 4, Baton Rouge. Detectives found 17.4 grams of synthetic marijuana and $1,071 in cash. Deputies booked Wrights with felony introduction of contraband. She resigned. She had worked with the prison since Nov. 20, 2017.

Also on Saturday, prison administrators placed Kiaria Cruse, 21, 1119 Homesville Road, No. 2, McComb, Miss., on administrative leave pending a disciplinary hearing after they said she became enraged, shoved chairs into walls and cursed as investigators were preparing to interview her concerning the weekend shakedown. She has worked at Angola since Sept. 19, 2016.

On Sunday, Shaqueel Anderson, 26, 712 Morris Smith Lane, Centreville, Miss., became confrontational and threatened officers when detectives questioned her about inappropriate behavior with an offender after cameras showed her allowing an offender to place his nose in her chest. Anderson was a probational employee who had worked at Angola since Jan. 29, 2018. She was fired.

On Monday, West Feliciana Sheriff's deputies booked Fredricka Ross, 28, 4167 Highway 33, Crosby, Miss., with felony malfeasance in office. An investigation determined Ross accepted a cell phone from an offender's relative and used the phone to communicate with the offender. Detectives also determined the offender became jealous and slapped Ross after seeing her speaking with other offenders. Ross failed to report the incident or write up the offender. Ross had been an employee with the prison since April 4, 2016. She admitted to the crimes and resigned, officials said.

Also on Monday, deputies booked TiChina Williams, 22, 9762 Highway 19, Wilson, with felony malfeasance in office and she resigned. Investigators said Williams admitted to kissing an offender and over time receiving $4,000 from that offender as well as smuggling drugs into Angola. In addition, she had the offender's name tattooed on her arm, and her name was tattooed onto the offender's arm. She had worked at Angola since Aug. 21, 2017.

Five of the correctional officers held the rank of sergeant. Ware was a cadet.

The offenders involved were in violation of various offender rules, and were all placed in administrative segregation pending the outcome of the investigation.

More arrests are expected as the investigation continues, officials said in a press release.

Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1