TRUMBULL COUNTY Former guard at jail faces multiple charges

The former corrections officer is in the Portage County jail.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- A former Trumbull County corrections officer was scheduled to appear in court today, but this time on the other side of the law.
Michele Miller, no age or home address available, was secretly indicted by the Trumbull County grand jury on charges of complicity to escape and bribery.
She was arrested Thursday afternoon, said Sheriff Thomas Altiere.
"Ms. Miller was hired about five years ago and she quit voluntarily last week," Altiere said.
She was being held in the Portage County jail and is expected to be arraigned this afternoon.
"There may be some people in the jail that she might have booked in, so for safety reasons, it's better that she be held in another facility," Altiere said. "I don't have too many details because this was not handled by our office."
FBI's involvement
The investigation was handled by the FBI.
Officials say Miller may have been bribed by a federal inmate in the Trumbull County jail.
Chuck Morrow, an assistant county prosecutor who is handling the investigation, could not be reached.
"The FBI came to us about four or five months ago with some information and we were very cooperative," Altiere said. "We gave them everything they wanted."
The sheriff's department houses federal inmates on the fourth floor of the county jail.
"This saddens me a great deal because I don't like having corruption in my department," the sheriff said. "If someone here did something wrong, they should have to pay for it."
Two other former deputies were indicted earlier this year on sexual battery charges.
Michael Battee and John Clutter both have pleaded innocent. Their cases are pending.
Officials said women accused the jailers of committing sex acts with them while they were incarcerated. The inmates told detectives Clutter would give them candy bars in exchange.
The sheriff noted there are normally two jailers assigned to each section of the jail, but one jailer may be alone during breaks.
sinkovich@vindy.com