Three Harnett County detention officers were fired in late March for accusations that they used pepper spray and assaulted an inmate, according to the Harnett County Sheriff's Office.
The sheriff's office fired Adam Russell Isbell, Lenora Guerrant Dawson, and Joseph Austin Collins on March 30.
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“Detention officers are entrusted with significant responsibility, including the care, custody and supervision of individuals in our detention facility,” the sheriff’s office wrote in a news release. “They are held to the highest standards of professionalism, integrity and respect for human dignity. When those standards are not met, appropriate action is taken.”
The alleged incidents happened on Dec. 27, 2025, and Dec. 30, 2025, according to the sheriff’s office.
Sheriff Wayne Coats was notified of the incident on Jan. 2. Coats then let the district attorney’s office know about the allegations, requested an independent investigation from the State Bureau of Investigation [SBI] and initiated an internal review.
“Harnett County remains committed to transparency, accountability, and maintaining public trust in its detention operation,” the sheriff’s office’s release states.
Russell, 39, is charged with one count of assault and battery.
Dawson, 60, is charged with one count of injury of a prisoner by jailor.
Collins, 28, is charged with one count of assault and battery.
Before they were fired, Isbell, Dawson and Collins were put on administrative leave during the investigations.
The SBI investigation is ongoing.