SBI Probes Rutherford County Detention Center for Alleged Inmate Mistreatmen

Rutherford County -- June 13, 2023: The Rutherford County Jail in North Carolina is under investigation by the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) for the alleged mishandling of inmate Robert Gene Sisk.

Sheriff Aaron Ellenburg emphasized transparency throughout his elected post in a social media post two days ago.

From the media post: 

"Sheriff Ellenburg believes any allegation involving treatment which rises to a level of concern, whether unintentional or otherwise by any member of the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office is a serious matter.
An internal investigation is already underway to explore any violation of the policies and procedures of the Rutherford County Detention Center.
In the interest of full transparency, the Sheriff is also looking forward to working with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation in order to leverage their expertise as an impartial outside agency to investigate any potential violations.
At this time, we are in the early stages of this investigation.
As a matter of policy, the Sheriff’s Office will not release additional information while the investigation continues."

Robert Gene Sisk, an inmate at the Rutherford County Jail, has been at the center of a controversy surrounding his treatment while incarcerated. According to reports, Sisk's family claim that he has been subjected to inhumane conditions and neglect by the jail staff. Allegations include physical abuse, denial of medical care, and other forms of mistreatment.
Sisk was transported to Rutherford Regional Health System on Thursday due to the presence of open wounds and sepsis

The SBI launched an investigation into the allegations of mishandling and mistreatment at the Rutherford County Jail. The SBI's involvement is aimed at providing an impartial assessment of the situation and determining the validity of the claims made by Sisk's family.

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