Former Benton Co. corrections officer accused of harassing inmates now faces charges

CAMDEN, Tenn. — A former Benton County corrections officer finds himself on the other side of the law.

Lawrence Stoner

Lawrence Stoner, 48, is accused of harassing female inmates, then intimidating them in hopes of staying out of trouble.

“He is someone that worked for me for a long time, and I thought he was honest with me,” Benton County Sheriff Kenny Christopher said.

Christopher said as an officer, your most important priority is to uphold the law.

“It’s very disappointing when you believe in someone to the point where you give them promotions,” he said.

Stoner, who worked as a corrections officer for at least four years, faces misconduct and tampering charges.

“He was charged last night,” Christopher said. “We picked him up and he was brought into our jail. He was released on a $20,000 bond.”

Stoner is also accused of altering jail paperwork.

“He went into our computers and rearranged some dates and things at the time,” Christopher said.

Christopher said he can’t elaborate on why Stoner may have done this because it’s an ongoing investigation.

It’s a case that has hit home for the sheriff, who said he considered Stoner a friend.

But he says he hopes this sends the message that the law sees everyone in the same light.

“The law was not designed for people to get special privileges, and there will be none given out in Benton County,” he said.

Stoner was fired from the sheriff’s department last month.

He’ll make his first appearance in Benton County Circuit Court on June 26.