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Another Mt. Pleasant Prison employee accused of smuggling contraband
A police investigation uncovers a scheme involving cash, mobile apps, and tobacco smuggled into the Mt. Pleasant prison by a staff member, according to court records
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
MT. PLEASANT — Prosecutors charged a second employee from the Mt. Pleasant Correctional Facility with felony offenses related to a prison contraband operation. The arrest adds to ongoing concerns about criminal activity involving correctional staff.
Joseph Dean Martens Jr. allegedly smuggled chewing tobacco into the prison between Oct. 1, 2024, and Feb. 10, 2025. Prosecutors say Martens received $3,500 in cash for repeatedly delivering the tobacco. He now faces two felony charges: Ongoing Criminal Conduct — Unlawful Activity, a Class B felony, and Possession of Contraband in a Correctional Institution, a Class D felony.
The Mt. Pleasant Police Department launched an investigation after Mount Pleasant Correctional Facility staff reported Martens on Jan. 29, 2025. Prison officials told police that Martens had been sneaking tobacco into the facility and handing it off to an inmate, according to a search warrant filed in court.
Mt. Pleasant Police Chief Lyle Murray wrote in the criminal complaint filed with Iowa Courts that Martens admitted to bringing in the tobacco and accepting money. According to Murray, Martens worked with multiple co-defendants who transferred funds using mobile apps and sold tobacco inside the prison. Officers recovered between 50 and 100 cans of chewing tobacco during their investigation. Each can reportedly would sell for $100 to $150 inside the facility.
Martens’ court arraignment is scheduled for May 27 at 8 a.m. at the Henry County Courthouse.
Martens’ arrest follows the earlier case of Jamie Kerr, a former mental health counselor at the same facility. In February, law enforcement officers arrested Kerr and charged her with Ongoing Criminal Conduct — Unlawful Activity, Possession of Contraband in a Correctional Institution, and Sexual Exploitation by a Counselor or Therapist. Investigators say Kerr brought marijuana and a cellphone into the prison and engaged in a sexual relationship with an incarcerated individual.
Kerr filed her written arraignment on April 8 and entered a Not Guilty plea to all three felony charges. By filing the document, she waived her right to appear in person for arraignment. The court scheduled her pretrial conference for July 28 and her jury trial for Aug. 12, both at the Henry County Courthouse in Mt. Pleasant.
Comments: AnnaMarie.Kruse@southeastiowaunion.com
