Sharon Elizabeth Smith of Sumter has been charged with criminal conspiracy, according to the South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC).
The 36-year-old South Carolina prison staffer was detained for allegedly attempting to smuggle jewelry teeth coverings, sometimes known as “grillz,” to an inmate. According to the records obtained by WIS, Smith was arrested on September 10.
Smith, a canteen manager, allegedly plotted with others to get grillz into the prison, according to warrants. Authorities allegedly discovered $2,500 worth of grillz inside Smith’s car on Lee Correctional grounds.
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According to SCDC, Smith’s employment at the Lee Correctional Institution was terminated.
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According to Justia, the South Carolina Code of Laws which deal with contraband states in part that “it is unlawful for a person to furnish or attempt to furnish a prisoner in any county, municipal, or multijurisdictional jail, prison camp, work camp, or overnight lockup facility with a matter declared to be contraband. It is unlawful for an inmate of a facility to possess a matter declared to be contraband. Matters considered contraband within the meaning of this section are those which are designated as contraband and published by the Department of Corrections as Regulation 33-1 of the Department of Corrections and this regulation must be displayed in a conspicuous place available and visible to visitors and inmates at the facility.
“A person violating the provisions of this section is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be punished by a fine of not less than one thousand dollars nor more than ten thousand dollars or imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than ten years, or both.”
This incident is similar to a case in Mississippi in July 2025, where three correctional officers were arrested for attempting to smuggle contraband into the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility (CMCF) in Rankin County.
The three corporals arrested, according to Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) officials, were Sherry McCollum, Kiarra Michael, and Theresa Hasty. Investigators claimed to have found contraband, including cellphones, food, alcohol, and controlled substances, in the officers’ work bags.
READ ALSO: 3 female Mississippi correctional officers arrested for smuggling contraband for inmates
