Crime & Public Safety
Crime & Public Safety

DeKalb jailer fired, arrested after inappropriate contact with inmate

By
April 21, 2024

A DeKalb County sheriff’s deputy assigned to the jail was fired from her position and arrested Friday after she was accused of having an inappropriate relationship with an inmate.

Joann Marks, 26, of Decatur, is charged with first-degree sexual contact by an employee, crossing county guard lines with contraband and violation of oath by a public officer, jail records show. The DeKalb sheriff’s office confirmed her arrest. Marks was booked into the DeKalb jail Friday afternoon and released a little more than 24 hours later.

Jail records indicate that Marks was charged in connection with two separate incidents. The sexual contact and violation of oath charges stem from an alleged offense that took place April 6. The charge of crossing county guard lines is linked to an earlier incident that took place Feb. 29. All three counts are felonies.

The sheriff’s office has not responded to requests for additional details about the circumstances around Marks’ arrest.

— Please return to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for updates.

About the Author

Henri Hollis is a reporter and restaurant critic for the Food & Dining team. Formerly a freelance writer and photographer with a focus on food and restaurants, he joined the AJC full-time in January 2021, first covering breaking news. He is a lifelong Atlantan and a graduate of Georgia Tech.

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