Lowndes County Adult Detention Center Administrator Rick Jones is retiring.
Jones notified Sheriff Mike Arledge on Thursday of his intent to retire, effective Oct. 31, according to a press release the sheriff’s office issued on Saturday. The release said the office should announce Jones’ replacement in the “near future.”
Chief Deputy Marc Miley said Jones had served in law enforcement for about 35 years and has been with the Lowndes County jail for more than two years. He previously served with Columbus Police Department.
The Dispatch could not reach Jones for comment by press time.
Jones’ retirement announcement comes less than a month after a Sept. 2 jail break for which nine jailers were disciplined. Delvin Moore, a 29-year-old armed robbery suspect, manipulated the locking mechanism on his holding cell and escaped out of the front doors of the facility.
Authorities still haven’t located Moore.
Miley did not comment on whether the escape factored into Jones’ decision to retire.
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