Alberta correctional officer charged after romantic relationship with inmate: RCMP
Posted Apr 16, 2026 11:49 am.
Last Updated Apr 16, 2026 7:07 pm.
A former correctional officer at the Bowden Institution in central Alberta has been arrested and is facing breach of trust charges after RCMP say she developed a romantic relationship with an inmate and was smuggling in contraband to be sold at inflated prices.
Innisfail RCMP were notified by Correctional Service Canada Bowden Institution in July 2025 regarding breach of trust allegations against a correctional officer.
The officer immediately resigned from Correctional Service Canada when she learned she was being investigated.
The investigation determined that the officer had developed a romantic relationship with an individual serving time and that she was sneaking in nicotine patches and a cellphone for the inmate to sell at increased prices.
Banking records determined that the officer got thousands of dollars in payment for her role in smuggling the contraband.
On Wednesday, April 15, the officer, 46-year-old Jennifer Plante from Olds, was arrested and charged with breach of trust by a public official.
She was brought before a Justice of the Peace and was released from custody with a court date in Red Deer on May 1.
