Arnold, deputy tied to another jail vendor

MURFREESBORO – Sheriff Robert Arnold and one of his deputies are tied to another company out of Georgia that makes sales to Rutherford County inmates, according to Georgia records

According to records from the State of Georgia, members of Sheriff Robert Arnold's family and Joe Russell, the RCSO chief deputy of administration, are tied to a company called JailSnacks.

The Georgia-based company sells snacks to inmates in jail, according to the company's website.

The company is owned by Judy and John Vanderveer, Arnold's aunt and uncle. Records show the couple also owns a similar company called JailCigs, a company that sells electronic cigarettes to inmates.

Arnold told DNJ news partner WSMV Tuesday that his wife also works for JailCigs company answering calls.

Rutherford County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Lisa Marchesoni said Arnold was unavailable for comment Thursday.

Multiple attempts by The Daily News Journal to reach Russell and Vanderveer were not returned Thursday evening.

According to records from the Tennessee Ethics Commission, Arnold listed JailCigs as one of his sources of income.

Arnold told WSMV that the sheriff's department gets a cut of the e-cigarette sales, but the money goes into the general fund for the county.

According to a May 2014 article in The Tennesseean, Arnold said he implemented e-cigarette sales in late 2013 through JailCigs and said there had been a drop in fights at the jail.

"We thought this would be a good tool to help inmates who are addicted to nicotine," Arnold said. "When they come to the jail, they are anxious. They tend to be short-tempered. The e-cigarettes allow them to still have nicotine and not be as short-tempered."

In April 2014, Sumner County began allowing jail inmates to order e-cigarettes directly from the JailCigs website.

According to the company's website, inmates are allowed to order either a regular or menthol flavored e-cigarette at $12.95 each.

Snacks featured on JailSnacks.com feature candy, soda and pastries. Inmates can also purchase hygiene items as well.

The county's ethics commission has not received a formal complaint concerning Arnold or Russell, chairman Teb Batey said Thursday.

"Residents can send an ethics complaint to me," Batey said. "It can be filed at any time as long as it is written and signed."

Contact Aldo Amato at 615-278-5109 or agamato@dnj.com. Follow him on Twitter @Aldo_Amato.