The Anamosa State Penitentiary. (Photo courtesy of Iowa Department of Corrections)

A state corrections officer fired for misconduct has been awarded jobless benefits, with a judge finding the state’s own evidence failed to back up its claims of wrongdoing.

Samantha Holub worked for the Iowa Department of Corrections at the Anamosa State Penitentiary from November 2023 through February 2025, when she was placed on administrative leave. She was fired on April 2, 2025 for allegedly violating rules related to employee conduct.

According to the DOC, a review of security-camera footage indicated that in early February, Holub took a Ziploc bag out of her pocket, removed a pill, and then gave the pill to an inmate. The DOC allegedly discovered another incident that occurred at around the same t

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