A detention officer at the Rockingham County Detention Facility has been terminated and arrested following an investigation into the illegal distribution of contraband to an inmate.
The incident, which involved the smuggling of a cell phone into the facility, led to criminal charges and several arrests.
On December 5, 2024, Rockingham County Sheriff's Detectives launched an investigation after a cell phone was discovered in the possession of inmate David Lenzie Purgason, Jr., 34. Purgason, currently incarcerated at the Rockingham County Detention Facility, was found with the contraband during a routine search of his cell.
As a result, Purgason was charged with Possession of a Phone/Communication Device by an Inmate, in violation of North Carolina General Statute 14-258.1(D). He was subsequently given an additional $30,000 secured bond.
As detectives delved deeper into the investigation, it was revealed that Estella Leyva Ortega, 31, a detention officer at the facility, played a role in facilitating the illicit exchange. Ortega, a resident of Reidsville, N.C., was terminated from her position and charged with Providing a Phone to an Inmate. She was arrested and appeared before a Magistrate, who released her on an unsecured bond pending her court appearance.
Further investigation uncovered that two other inmates, Raven Byron Broadnax, 32, and Cameron Laverne Martin, 32, had assisted Purgason in taking possession of the contraband phone. Broadnax was charged with Possession of a Phone/Communication Device by an Inmate and received an additional $30,000 secured bond.
Martin was charged with Possession of a Phone/Communication Device by an Inmate and Felony Conspiracy, with a significantly higher $300,000 secured bond.
Sheriff Sam Page confirmed that the investigation remains ongoing, and additional information will be provided as it becomes available.
The Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office continues to work diligently to ensure the safety and security of the Detention Facility.