County approves reimbursing former inmate $1,100 for her property, another inmate charged with stealing it

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – The Warren County Regional Jail will be forking over more than $1,000 to a recently released inmate after another Warren County inmate is accused of stealing jewelry from her while she was incarcerated.

Warren County Fiscal Court has approved an emergency determination in the amount of $1,123.52 to be paid to Ashley Dodge after another property valued at that amount came up missing while she was incarcerated. Another inmate is accused of stealing her property.

Upon Dodge’s release, deputies could not locate the manila envelope used for storing jewelry and valuable property while someone is in jail.

After watching a surveillance video, Warren County Jailer Stephen Harmon, said he saw inmate Jeffery Yates stuff the envelope down his pants as Yates passed by a property cart before the items could be placed into locked storage.

“We have reviewed in-house protocol with property. We have tightened up some things with regard to safe guarding the inmates’ property better,” Harmon said. “We were able to make the victim in the case whole to pay her for the property that was stolen. So, we will continue investigation on Yates, and that case will be presented to the grand jury in the very near future.”

Yates was incarcerated after being charged with the robbery of Tobacco America on Morgantown Road on Sept. 5 and the robbery of the Smoothie King on Nashville Road Sept. 7.

When interviewed by officials, Yates admitted to the theft of the envelope and advised he took it into the bathroom of the cell looking for tobacco, when none was found, he flushed the jewelry, along with an Apple Watch, according to his arrest citation.

Yates is now charged with theft by unlawful taking over $500 but less than $10,000, a felony.

The Warren County Regional Jail is seeking restitution from Jeffery Yates.