ST. GABRIEL - An employee at Elayn Hunt Correctional Center was arrested after a K9 found drugs in his car Tuesday.

During a routine search of the parking lot, K9 Zak alerted to the trunk of Kevin Shorty's car. Inside, officers found an unlabeled pill bottle containing 30 Zolpidem, commonly known as the sleep aid Ambien, which is considered a controlled substance. 

Shorty told officers he was at the prison to report to work. He was hired in July 2023 and worked as an advanced electronic technician. While he was being questioned, he resigned. 

According to the Iberville Parish Sheriff's Office, Kevin Shorty is facing charges of malfeasance in office, taking contraband to a penal institution, and possessing schedule IV narcotics — all felonies.