VIDALIA — A Concordia Parish correctional officer was arrested and charged Monday with arranging drug deals while at work.

Ronnie Cox, 57, 165 Sage Road, was charged by the Concordia Narcotics Task Force with two counts malfeasance in office and two counts manufacturing and distribution of schedule IV drugs.

Cox has worked for the Concordia Parish Sheriff’s Office since mid-December, working at the Concordia Parish Correctional Facility in Ferriday before transferring to the work-release facility on U.S. 84 for the last two months.

Concordia Parish Sheriff Randy Maxwell said in a statement that Cox was fired immediately and would be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

According to the statement, Cox allegedly set up drug transactions while at work using the telephone and text messages and later met with individuals to complete the alleged drug deals outside of work.

He was detained without bond Wednesday.