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Former Liberty County correctional officer enters plea in assault case

Incident occurred Feb. 2022
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BRISTOL, Fla. (WTXL) — A former Liberty County correctional officer entered a plea in Liberty County court on allegations of battery and misconduct with an inmate from a February 2022 incident.

According to the Florida State Attorney’s Office for the Second Judicial Circuit, Shelton Turner of Quincy, entered a plea Monday prior to jury selection for the trial.

The plea led to Turner being adjudicated guilty of Sexual Battery and Sexual Misconduct with an Inmate and sentenced to jail followed by sex offender probation.

Turner will also be a convicted felon, designated as a sexual offender and required to register as an offender.

He is no longer allowed to work in law enforcement or corrections.

The state attorney’s office said Turner, while working as a correctional officer at the Liberty County jail's female detention pod, engaged in inappropriate communication with the victim inmate, which violated Liberty County Sheriff’s Office policy.

He was accused of forcing a female inmate to have sex against her will in an isolated, unmonitored area of the jail.

The attorney’s office said the victim maintained evidence and reported the assault to the next officer on duty.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement revealed DNA and video evidence, which linked Turner to the incident.