The judges noted in their decision that the employee had been disciplined 17 times in the past.
CAMDEN -- A state court upheld the 2015 firing of a jail employee who used her cellphone on-duty, including to take a photo of a coworker's naked buttocks and send it to another colleague.
Takia Johnson appealed her firing in June 2015 to the Civil Service Commission and then to the state's appellate court. According to the court's decision, issued Monday, she argued that firing was too harsh a punishment because it was her first violation of the Camden County Correctional Facility's cellphone ban for employees.
However, as the judges noted, it wasn't Johnson's first time breaking the rules.
Judges Mitchel E. Ostrer and Francis J. Vernoia wrote in their decision that Johnson had a "history of habitual misconduct" during her dozen years at the jail.
She had been formally disciplined 17 times for offenses including abuse of position, insubordination, unbecoming conduct, and neglect of duty.
The decision said she received eight suspensions between two to 90 days, five fines, three formal reprimands and two verbal reprimands.
Camden Co. tax clerk admits stealing $5K
According to the judges, the jail's internal affairs unit uncovered Johnson's on-duty cellphone use while looking into her coworker, Officer Michael Jacob, for the same alleged behavior.
This was around the same time the jail was investigating officers for smuggling cellphones into work. The investigation revealed racist text messages and led to the firing of nine officers and the retirement of two others.
They discovered numerous text messages between Johnson and Jacob, including the inappropriate photograph, according to the decision.
The judges wrote that Johnson admitted to bringing her phone to work and having it while she was supervising prisoners at a hospital in Berlin, though she knew it was a violation of the Camden County Department of Corrections' policy.
"In addition, she explained she took a photograph with her phone of another officer's naked buttocks without his knowledge while they were on duty at the hospital and sent the photograph to Jacob," the decision said.
Ostrer and Vernoia wrote that Johnson engaged in an "ongoing, knowing and intentional violation" of the cellphone policy and in doing so compromised the security and functionality of the facility.
According to state pension data, Johnson's salary was just under $68,000 before her firing.
Rebecca Everett may be reached at reverett@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @rebeccajeverett. Find NJ.com on Facebook.