Police charge officer with bringing contraband into KY juvenile justice facility

Kentucky State Police on Tuesday arrested a correctional officer on suspicion of bringing a cell phone into a South Central Kentucky juvenile detention center in violation of security rules.

Jose A. Soto, 56, of Leitchfield, is charged with first-degree promoting contraband, a Class D felony, according to Warren County District Court records.

On Dec. 20, police started investigating a contraband phone found in the Warren Regional Juvenile Detention Center in Bowling Green, operated by the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice, according to court records.

Police determined that Soto was involved in bringing the phone into the facility, according to the records.

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Soto was arraigned Wednesday.

His next court appearance is scheduled for April 17.

Detention centers run by the Department of Juvenile Justice have been troubled by violence, abuse and neglect in recent years.

In March, Gov. Andy Beshear named a former prison warden , Randy White, to take charge of the agency.