A South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) Correctional Officer has been arrested after officials say she had a romantic relationship with an inmate and accepted monetary gifts.
Tajiri Ashiki Uzani Belton was arrested on Nov. 29, 2018 for Misconduct in Office.
Arrest warrants say that between Sept. 2017 and Nov. 2018, Belton continued a romantic telephone relationship with a SCDC male inmate while employed at the Camille Graham Institution in Richland County.
Reports from ABC4 News show that Belton also received money from the inmate, which authorities described as a gift. Correctional Officers are not allowed to accept gifts from inmates, officials said. Belton also provided her home address to the inmate so he could illegally mail a controlled substance to her.
SCDC reminds members of the public that after an arrest, the burden of proof is still on the state to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt within a court of law.