JOHNSON COUNTY, Ind. – A correctional officer in Johnson County is out of a job after being accused of engaging in a relationship with a female inmate.

Zachariah B. Johnson, a correctional officer with the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, was arrested on charges of sexual misconduct, official misconduct and trafficking with an inmate.

According to Johnson County Sheriff Duane Burgess, his office was notified of the issue on Thursday morning. Parallel criminal and internal investigations were opened. Investigators from the sheriff’s office talked to the inmate and her attorney about the allegations.

Burgess requested help from the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office in the criminal investigation; detectives from Morgan County spoke with Johnson Thursday evening.

After the interview and in consultation with Prosecutor Joseph Villanueva, Johnson was booked into the Johnson County Jail.

His employment with the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office has been terminated, Burgess said.

The sheriff released a statement:

As these allegations involve a Sheriff’s office employee allegedly engaged in criminal acts while working in his official capacity as an employee, the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office was brought into this criminal matter to ensure complete transparency. This type of action will not be tolerated by the Sheriff’s Office.