SBI: Incidents At Harnett County Jail Lead To Arrest Of Three Former Officers

HARNETT COUNTY, N.C. — Three former detention officers at the Harnett County Detention Center have been arrested and charged following an investigation into allegations of excessive force against an inmate late last year.

According to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), the probe began on January 2, 2026, at the request of the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office and the District Attorney’s Office. The investigation centered on incidents that allegedly occurred on December 27 and December 30, 2025.

Sheriff Wayne Coats said he was notified of the incident on January 2 and immediately contacted District Attorney Suzanne Matthews, requested an independent SBI investigation, and launched an internal review through the county’s Office of Professional Standards. The detention staff involved were placed on administrative leave while the investigations were conducted.

The internal review determined that three officers allegedly violated detention center policies, including those governing the use of pepper spray and the appropriate level of physical force applied to an inmate.

Following the investigation, the SBI—working in coordination with the District Attorney’s Office—filed charges against the three former officers:

• Adam Russell Isbell, 39, charged with one count of assault and battery
• Lenora Guerrant Dawson, 60, charged with one count of injury to a prisoner by a jailer
• Joseph Austin Collins, 27, charged with one count of assault and battery

All three were terminated from their positions on March 30, 2026, according to the sheriff’s office.

“Detention officers are entrusted with significant responsibility, including the care, custody, and supervision of individuals in our detention facility,” Coats said in a statement. “They are held to the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and respect.”

The SBI said the investigation remains ongoing, and no additional details have been released.

(Editor’s note: A mugshot for Joseph Collins was not immediately available.)