An unverified rumor going around is that somehow inmates in the Guilford County jail system found a Monopoly game in the rec room and discovered that they could use the “Get Out Of Jail Free” cards to convince county detention officers that they could be released from confinement.
That rumor is almost certainly not true, but it does raise the question as to how the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office, not once, but twice, improperly released inmates into society in a single week.
For the second time in a matter of days, the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office improperly released an inmate charged with violent crimes into society when he was supposed to remain behind bars.
In the first case, the Office denied, when asked by WXII News, that a jail inmate had been improperly released.
The first incident happened on Monday, Sept. 16 at about 4:30 p.m., when Carlos Geovany “Yobani” Diaz-Gomez escaped from the jail by using the ID card of another inmate who was scheduled to be released on that Monday. Diaz-Gomez was being held on a large bond for Assault on a Female as well as on other charges.
The Sheriff’s Office didn’t inform the public until Diaz-Gomez was back in custody.
On Thursday, Sept. 20, another inmate was mistakenly released – this time from the county’s High Point jail.
Jessie Dale Steed, 38, like Diaz-Gomez, was released from jail. Steed was supposed to be serving an 11-month active sentence.
Unlike Gomez, who was free for five days, Steed was re-arrested by the High Point police later in the same day he got out of jail.
Steed was being held for Felony Assault Inflicting Serious Injury.
He’s now back at the High Point jail and is being held without bond.
Former Guilford County Detention officers have told the Rhino Times that the release process is supposed to have a string of checks. An officer is sent to a cell to retrieve an inmate, and that officer is supposed to conduct a visual ID and then take that inmate to another officer who also makes a visual ID.
There are supposed to be other checks that follow as well – including the use of a fingerprint scanner.
Inmates are scanned on an electronic fingerprint ID machine when they enter the jail and, upon release, they are supposed to place their finger on the device and show a match.
Bria Evans, a spokesperson for the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office, explained some of the process and she also noted what went wrong in the case of Diaz-Gomez.
“Inmates are required to verbally confirm their full name, address, next of kin, if applicable, Social Security number, if applicable, and date of birth,” Evans said this week. “A comparison of their intake photo is also required. Inmates also have ID cards with a photo and date of birth that can be verified.”
According to Evans, departing inmates are also required to provide a fingerprint that’s linked to their name from the initial intake and the fingerprint reader pulls up a photo with the inmate’s date of birth listed.
In the case of Diaz-Gomez– who is foreign-born – the next of kin and Social Security Number weren’t applicable because he had no next of kin listed and had no Social Security Number.
Diaz-Gomez’s fingerprint wasn’t verified before release. It appears as though the fingerprint reader was broken at that time.
One former deputy told the Rhino Times that, due to the heavy vacancies at the county’s two jails, guards conduct a very rushed process when releasing inmates these days. Guards are overworked and they put in a lot of overtime and don’t always follow the procedure before letting people out of jail.
The Guilford County commissioners have in recent years approved multiple perks for those positions to make them more attractive, however, the problem of vacancies in detention officer positions remains a big one to this day.
In these two cases, it’s clear that there were multiple failures by several officers.
The county’s two jails used to use un-removable armbands on inmates for identification purposes; however, the Guilford County detention system shifted to ID cards – which allowed Diaz-Gomez to get his hands on the ID of the other inmate.
When former Guilford County Sheriff BJ Barnes was running against current Guilford County Sheriff Danny Rogers for the job, Rogers made a very big deal of the fact that two inmates had escaped from the High Point jail under Barnes’ watch by tying bedsheets together and lowering themselves to the ground from a jail cell window.
That may be one reason that Rogers, in neither of these cases, wanted any publicity about them.
While Steed was re-arrested quickly, the other took a massive – but hush-hush – operation for five days to be caught.
After the arrest of Gomez Diaz, Guilford County Sheriff Danny Rogers thanked area local law enforcement agencies for their assistance, especially Chief Thompson and the Greensboro Police Department, Chief Penn and the Winston Salem Police Department, Sheriff Kimbrough and the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.
As a former emoloyee of the Guilford County Jail I can say this with absolute certainty: Until you replace Gomer Pyle & Barney Fife with Cordell Walker & Wyatt Erp this will continue to get worse! Right now you have complete idiots running the Sheriff’s Office. Many of the folks Rogers has promoted the past three years or so are a disgrace to the profession. Some have to wear velcro shoes because they don’t have the IQ to tie laces. Those in the administrative division are even more inept. It’s an embarrassment & liability to all of the qualified hard working folks at the Sheriff’s Office. This profession is stressful enough without this added mess.
It’s past time for “a positive change!”
There is much incompetency within our city and county employees, even the Clerk’s office, and they are unapologetic about it.
It’s past time to clean house; however, people are discouraged, and aren’t willing to put forth the energy and sacrifice required for change.
Most of our Judges and attorneys are corrupt. They follow the money, personal values and popularity instead of the law. This is especially true in Family/Domestic law.
The average white male is the most discriminated person in the workforce, and courtroom.
Our children, the elderly, single women over 60, the homeless, and those with mental illness are the most neglected, and are lucky to get scraps.
Politics, Greed, Moral Decay, Open Borders, Misappropriation of tax dollars, the list goes on.
We have strayed so far from the Judeo-Christian principles that we were founded on. That people fought and sacrificed their life for.
We have actually lost our freedom and rights under the guise of “non-discrimination, open borders, and diversity” that we are in the early stages of communism. Our speech is continually censored on social media platforms, the workforce, basically everywhere. People have developed a victim mentality. It’s taught, encouraged, rewarded, and it’s very dangerous.
Things will not improve until those with eyes to see are willing to step up, and make the sacrifices necessary for change.
The change has to start from the group up. It will not be a political party nor President.
Well written, Donna. Perfectly said.
We were not founded on “Judeo-Christian” principles.
Only the Christian part is correct.
Leading the State in Jail deaths, Sheriff’s vehicle Stolen, releasing Inmates improperly, discharging a Firearm in a bathroom and Cafeteria and most of these incidents don’t get reported to the media and or the Community is not made aware of the “Escapes” (what they are charged with), but the Sheriff calls it “Improper release” of his “Residents”. Is this MAYBERRY???? This will be remembered and brought up for the 2026 election, but the big question is what will happen between now and then, and if the Sheriff will report them. He touted “Transparency” during his Campaign. I guess he forgot.
Right you are having a brother who saying it’s not safe
Over worked under staff
Overtime or lose job
Time to elect a new sheriff.
Duh.
I’ve learned that the subject was improperly released from the High Point facility despite being held for felony stalking, misdemeanor stalking, and domestic trespass under a $50,000 bond. Following sentencing to almost a year in jail, he was released from detention and promptly resumed terrorizing the victim at her home, prompting a 911 call. Police arrived and took him back into custody. This situation highlights concerns about domestic violence support. Where are the advocates and the Family Justice Center? The fact that the Family Justice Center gets funny from the Guilford County government and Skip Alston could that play a part of their lack of support.
Bria Evans is the public relations officer, but doesn’t she only have two years of experience, none related to sworn or detention services? Also, wasn’t she found guilty of DWI last year? That’s troubling.
The result of DIE hiring policies; unfortunately “competency” is not one of the check boxes on the CV requirements.
It does seem as if the present administration of the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office is thick with incompetent and lazy staff.
That is if course NOT to say the whole department but a very favored few who tarnish the reputation of what was once THE leading enforcers of law in the ENTIRE Triad! This degradation started with cowboy Danny’s election in 2018 and we are witnessing the results today.
Understaffing is not an excuse for complacency! Why is “ due to the heavy vacancies at the county’s two jails, guards conduct a very rushed process when releasing inmates these days” acceptable?
I’m glad these deputies and their boss are not defending our country while exhibiting such a lack of vigilance.
Your tax dollars at work. Are you getting $17 k worth per month? Saddle up!
Makes one wonder if the High Sheriff isn’t in the wrong line of work.
All the above statements are true
Staff understaffed and overworked
Overtime it’s a state requirement
Should be investigated. Misleading information when people are applying for job. Signing bonuses aren’t given but in today’s economy people take on this
This needs to go to state officials
Then to federal government for working conditions
So so many good & dedicated people have had enough, retired, quit, or even retired early to get away from this toxic place. When people are willing to take a cut in pay and/or benefits regardless of the parity increases your tossing at them, there’s obviously problems. I spoke with one former employee recently who told me their blood pressure was the best it’s been since 1998. That person was very candid about leaving due to the toxic environment they were subjected to due to very poor leadership. They said they enjoyed every day until some unqualified dolts were promoted into positions of power and treated everyone under them horribly. No one wanted to listen to their concerns and you could only say so much without being disciplined, even if that was done passively. So, many have decided to leave and do other things. I think one even used the words “I can watch it burn from afar, but I wont be a part of it any longer.” What’s even worse is that you even have one in Internal Affairs who’s own IA folder is as thick as a phone book. It’s hard to respect someone like that. You feel sorry for the other two working in there who are as solid as they come. Imagine working in Professional Standards (IA) or being the attorney there and having almost everything you bring to the table scrutinized, ignored & molested by command level folks who can’t tie their own shoes. That is the current state of the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office.
This is a total bunch of junk in Guilford County. I hope Billy Queen runs for Sheriff again. He has a resume of managing large groups of people on the Federal level, and all those employees I believe have to have a least a 4-year degree. He needs to consider running again and bring Professionalism, Integrity and Transparency back to the Sheriff’s Office, like when BJ Barnes had it. We don’t need the good old boy network from inside. It needs a fresh start at the top.
DEI = DIE