Former Dyer County correction officer charged in misconduct case

[DYERSBURG, TN] October 28, 2024 – A former Dyer County Correctional Complex employee faces a set of charges following an internal investigation by the Dyer County Criminal Investigation Division.

Courtesy: Dyer County Sheriff’s Office

During a criminal inquiry, investigators uncovered illegal activity being perpetrated by Correction Employee, Tyrell Wallace, age 40, by attempting to smuggle contraband into the Dyer County Correctional Complex. Wallace’s employment was immediately terminated by Sheriff Jeff Box and he was taken into custody.

Authorities booked Wallace into the Dyer County Jail on the following charges:

1. Introduction of Contraband into a Penal Facility
2. Possession Schedule II Fentanyl With Intent (26 grams and enough fentanyl pills to kill a few hundred people)
3. Possession Schedule II Meth With Intent (50 grams)
4. Possession Schedule II Crack Cocaine With Intent (3 grams)
5. Possession Schedule III With Intent (8 Suboxone Strips)
6. Possession Schedule VI With Intent (165 grams marijuana)
7. Possession of Firearm During Commission of Dangerous Felony (loaded 9mm pistol along with 40 rounds ammunition)

A $100,000.00 bond was set by Judge Jason Hudson this afternoon and Wallace is currently out on bond.

Sheriff Box stated, “We condemn the actions of Wallace and we hold our correction officers to the highest professional standards. They are an important part of our criminal justice system by keeping violent offenders off the streets. My jail staff does a great job every day and we will not have criminals disguised as correction officers.”

Sheriff Box also commended his investigative team and stated “Our Criminal Investigative Division will continue to investigate similar reports of this type of activity and our leadership team will continue to evaluate all safeguards and security measures to eliminate the flow of contraband into the correctional facility.”

This case will be prosecuted by the 29th District Attorney General Danny Goodman.

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