C. Ind. prison sees rash of employee arrests

NEW CASTLE, Ind. (AP) - The warden of an eastern Indiana prison that's seen a rash of employee arrests for trafficking with inmates or having sex with them says the allegations are "sad."

Six employees at the New Castle Correctional Facility have been charged in the past 10 months with either smuggling cellphones and other contraband to inmates, having sex with them or both.

The Star Press reports three of the cases involve women employed by private prison contractors who allegedly became romantically involved with male prisoners.

Warden Keith Butts says it's "always a sad occasion" when staff is accused of moral or ethical offenses. He says the detection and ultimate arrest and prosecution of workers having improper dealings with inmates was the "direct result of my staff being extremely diligent."