Washington Parish Corrections Deputies Make Arrests

Washington Parish Jail inmate Thomas Alsobrooks, II (age 30), who has been incarcerated since March, 2021 for various drug offenses, was arrested by Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office corrections deputies yesterday (Monday, April 12, 2021). His arrest was the result of an investigation by corrections deputies and narcotics detectives after Alsobrooks approached a corrections deputy and offered him several hundred dollars if he would bring “legal mail” to Alsobrooks. The deputy was informed that a female would bring the “legal mail” and payment to the deputy at a later date.

After the offer was reported to his supervisor and to Chief of Corrections Jim Miller, the deputy was instructed to accept the offer from Alsobrooks. As arranged, a partial payment was made to the corrections deputy and arrangements were made to transfer the “legal mail” and the remainder of the payment at a particular time in a disclosed location.

The corrections deputy met the female at the disclosed location and received a bag containing the “legal mail.” Unbeknownst to the courier of the “legal mail,” the entire transaction was being recorded on audio and video. Once the transaction was complete, the courier and her driver left the scene. Waiting nearby were a corrections deputy and a narcotics detective who then intercepted the delivery vehicle and arrested both occupants, identified as Kathernie E. Miller (age 29 and a resident of Gordon Road) and Brandon Lee Kephart (age 27 and a resident of Stephanie Lane in Covington). A search of their vehicle yielded drug paraphernalia and hypodermic needles. The “legal mail” was heroin.

Deputies returned to the jail and arrested inmate Alsobrooks, whose listed address is Avenue B in Bogalusa, for introduction of contraband. Alsobrooks is familiar with the inside of the Washington Parish Jail, having been arrested at least four previous times. In 2019, he was charged with possession of heroin and other illegal drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia. Two times in 2020 he was arrested for failure to appear in court. His latest arrest was in March 2021 when he was jailed for possession to distribute illegal drugs, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and traffic offenses.

Miller has a previous stay in the Washington Parish Jail. In February 2021, she was arrested and charged with possession of heroin and other illegal drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia. Her current charges are distribution of heroin, possession of drug paraphernalia and introduction of contraband.

Kephart also has a previous stay in the Washington Parish Jail. In February 2021, he was charged with possession of marijuana and contempt of court. His current charges are distribution of heroin, possession of drug paraphernalia, introduction of contraband, contempt of court and having no driver’s license.

“Our corrections deputy demonstrated exceptional professional integrity when he immediately reported the attempted bribe to his supervisors,” stated Sheriff Randy Seal. “While there may be some persons who are willing to compromise for a few hundred dollars, this deputy is not one of those. I applaud him for initiating and then carrying through this attempt to introduce drugs into the jail. Our other cooperating corrections deputies and narcotics detective did an excellent job and I am so pleased. There are so many dynamics in law enforcement, and corrections is one facet of the job that is often overlooked; however, the men and women who supervise our jail twenty-four hours per day do an excellent job under very difficult circumstances.”