Thirteen inmates were freed from the Rutherford County Jail after a federal judge handed down an order.
That order Friday demanded the release of any inmate who owed money to Providence Community Corrections, Inc. All inmates released had misdemeanor charges.
PCC is a company Rutherford County has been using to get court fees and other fines from those who committed crimes. A federal lawsuit was filed by seven inmates who claim the company, along with Rutherford County, has been part of an illegal scheme taking advantage of lower income families.
The judge appeared to agree, and at 3:30 p.m. Friday, 13 inmates walked free.
“We wanted to do our due diligence to make sure they are released as soon as possible,” Sheriff Robert Arnold said.
Desmond Martin was one of those who walked out. He had been in jail since December 7, charged with a probation violation because he didn’t pay fees to PCC. His bond was set at $10,000.
“Thank you to the judge for seeing that PCC are crooks, and that they are taking advantage of the poor and the elderly,” Martin said. “They're taking advantage of Rutherford County.”
Heather Keller was another inmate allowed to be released from the jail Friday. She was sentenced to 90 days in jail for failure to pay fees. It’s the second time she’s been incarcerated for failing to pay fines since she got a misdemeanor driving violation in 2014.
“[PCC] manipulates poor people,” Keller said. “It keeps you in the system. All they want you is in the system.”
A spokesperson for Molina Healthcare, the organization that just purchased PCC, released the following statement to News Channel 5:
"We are disappointed in the court’s ruling, but will continue to comply with all state and federal laws while reviewing our legal options."
All inmates who were released Friday are still required to appear in front of a judge on the charges they’re facing. They were released on their own personal recognizance.
For more on the lawsuit involving PCC, click here.
