Allen Correctional Center officer arrested

Published 4:34 pm Friday, June 13, 2025

A correctional officer who was employed at the Allen Correctional Center near Kinder was arrested Thursday for failing to report an inmate in possession of a cell phone.

Karley Zara Austin, 21, of Oakdale was arrested for malfeasance in office by the Allen Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Austin was booked into the Allen Parish jail and released on Friday after posting a $10,000 bond, according to Chief of Detectives Greg Quirk.

Austin had been working as a correctional officer at the state-run prison for seven months, he said. The facility is operated by the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections.

Allen Parish Sheriff Doug Hebert III said Austin’s arrest followed an incident involving an inmate with a cell phone.

“Apparently, she caught an inmate with a cell phone in the barbershop and did not report it,” Hebert said.

Inmates are not permitted to possess cell phones in prison due to security concerns and the potential for misuse. However, despite the ban, cell phones often make their way into correctional facilities.

Authorities have not yet filed any charges against the inmate for having contraband within a penal facility.