Hamrick arrested hours after released from DCCI

Published 9:10 am Monday, May 10, 2021

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Bobby Hamrick thought he had seen the last of a jail cell after he was released on Tuesday, May 4. However, an intercepted phone call with information leading to an inmate contraband drop has prompted his return.

According to reports, Decatur County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Vincent Edmond received a phone call from Decatur County Correctional Institute (DCCI) Warden Gordon Screen, who informed Edmond he had intercepted a phone call from an inmate in reference to a possible contraband drop.

Screen explained that Hamrick was set to be released on May 4 and had placed a phone call to family members, who were picking them up, if they could bring tobacco so he could drop if off to another inmate working prison detail at the Decatur County Public Works Department.

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With a transcript from the call in hand, Edmond set up surveillance in the DCCI parking lot.

He then watched a gold Ford Expedition with a male driver and female passenger pull into the parking lot and park closely to the entrance gate of the prison.

Shortly after arriving, Screen advised Edmond that Hamrick was being released. Edmond watched as Hamrick exited the prison gate and approach the female passenger, later identified as Kristin Hay, and give her a kiss.

Hay then moved to the back passenger seat, allowing Hamrick to sit in the front.

Before Hamrick entered the vehicle, Edmond noted that an inmate on work detail at the Decatur County Public Works Department throw his hat up and whistle to Hamrick.

The Expedition then exited the parking lot and onto Butler Ferry Road, before taking a left onto Airport Road.

Edmond followed the vehicle as it turned into the parking lot of Decatur County Public Works. There, he witnessed Hamrick hurriedly leave from a silver Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck that was parked in the lot.
Edmond then activated his emergency lights to activate a stop on the Expedition.

Edmond made contact with the driver, Steve Hamrick and asked him to step out of the vehicle. Steve told Edmond that he dropped off some tobacco in a black with some trash in the pickup truck.

Edmond then escorted Steve to the pickup truck, where Steve showed him the contraband.

Inside the black bag there were several packages of unopened rolling tobacco and household garbage.

Steve was subsequently handcuffed and arrested. Edmond then made contact with Hamrick and Hay, who were seated inside the Expedition.

Hamrick told Edmond he had just gotten out of the DCCI and he had put some tobacco in a bag and placed it in the truck. Hamrick was then arrested again.

Finally, Edmond made contact with Hay. He ran her information through Decatur- Grady E911, where he found her wanted out of the state of Tennessee. However, the warrant had no extradition, so she was released after the vehicle was searched.

Hamrick and Steve were charged with felony providing prohibited items to inmates and transported to the Decatur County Jail.