Ex-Butler County corrections officer appears in court on bribery charge

Bond was set today at $5,000 for a former Butler County Sheriff’s Office corrections officer facing felony charges for allegedly bringing illegal items into the Butler County Jail.

Brandon Moore, 34, of Hamilton, was indicted by a Butler County grand jury last week for bribery, a third-degree felony, and four counts of conveyance into a correctional facility.

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The items smuggled into the Butler County Jail for cash included cellphones, miscellaneous tools, and protein powder, according to the sheriff’s office. The alleged crime occurred between July and Aug. 24 of this year, according to the indictment.

Moore, who had nearly completed the law enforcement academy, was hired by the sheriff’s office as a corrections officer in September 2017. He was a probationary corrections officer and was terminated when the investigation began, according to Chief Deputy Anthony Dwyer.

At arraignment today, Moore’s attorney, Anne Tamashasky, requested he be released on his own recognizance.

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Moore was dressed in a stripe jumpsuit usually reserved for a jail trusty, which is an inmate granted special privileges. He is being housed in the Preble County Jail.

Assistant Butler County Prosecutor Brad Burress said Moore is not considered a flight risk.

“In talking with the sheriff’s office, I don’t believe him to be a flight risk. Obviously these charges are very serious (but) he did cooperate with the police in the investigation,” Burress said.

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Butler County Common Pleas Judge Jennifer McElfresh then set bond at $5,000 and ordered Moore to be back in court Dec. 13 for a pre-trial hearing.

The Moore family and his attorney declined comment.

A routine jail cell search was conducted at the beginning of the month and a cellphone was discovered in the pod where Moore was assigned, according to the sheriff’s office. This led to an investigation with correctional staff, inmates and in all the pods located in the facility.

Detectives determined that Moore was responsible for bringing items to inmates in exchange for money, Tanner said.

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