MOBILE COUNTY, Ala (WDNews) – Mobile County Sheriff Paul Burch shared new information on Tuesday regarding the arrest of corrections deputy Timothy Lee Scarbrough, 39, of Theodore, who has been charged with first-degree sodomy. Scarbrough, responsible for guarding an inmate recovering from eye surgery, was accused of sexually assaulting the inmate while they were under anesthesia.
The sheriff’s office launched an investigation after the inmate reported the assault upon waking. Investigators administered a sexual assault kit, and by the end of the day, Scarbrough was fired and taken into custody.
“There was enough, I guess, validity to his story that, you know, once the investigation was complete, determined that he was for the most part telling the truth,” Sheriff Burch explained. “We’re not gonna tolerate that kind of behavior from an employee, a corrections officer, or a deputy.”
Burch noted that Scarbrough, who had been employed as a corrections officer since last fall, had no prior history of misconduct. “I have not found any indication that there’s been previous conduct,” he added. “Supervisors said for the most part, he does a good job while he’s at work.”
The sheriff acknowledged the need for more corrections officers when inmates are taken to the hospital, but financial limitations restrict staffing. “Multiple people would be nice if you’re going to pay the overtime for them,” Burch stated. “But the budget just won’t allow that.”
Scarbrough, currently being held in segregation due to his former role at the jail, is set for a bond hearing on Wednesday. Mobile County District Attorney Keith Blackwood indicated that additional evidence would be presented during a preliminary hearing. “We do expect there to be evidence to corroborate what this victim told authorities,” Blackwood said.
