Inmate Chef Overspends Food Budget by $8K

DURANT, Okla. – Inmate meals at the Bryan County Jail aren’t what they used to be after authorities discovered an inmate chef with a gourmet palate spent more than twice as much on groceries as was budgeted.

Jail officials are cutting costs in the kitchen after authorities were billed $13,000 for a month’s worth of inmate food. The monthly grocery bill at the jail is usually about $5,000.

“They were just going a little wild with the ordering of the food,” said Jerry Ridgway, interim jail administrator.

The menu is back to normal – chicken patties instead of chicken breasts – and food costs are under control, Ridgway said. Staff members are ordering the food and taking inventory.

The inmate who ordered the food was a trusty who has since been released. Ridgway said he expects no repercussions against him.

“It’s just something we’ll have to pay because the food was ordered,” he said.

Meanwhile, inmates have not been pleased with the jail’s downscaled menu.

“They didn’t like it at all,” Ridgway said. “They started feeling like they were being neglected. Of course, they weren’t. We were just trying to get them back on track.”

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Information from: The Oklahoman, http://www.oklahoman.com