Parents claim officers said they'd have to be strip-searched to visit son at Florida prison

EAST PALATKA, Fla. — A senior couple said they were told they'd have to be stripped-searched by Putnam correctional officers if they wanted to visit their son in prison.

The couple said it all stems from their metal surgical implants.

Gomer and Jan Koon sent Action News Jax a four-page letter explaining the incident. A copy of the letter was also sent to the Florida Department of Corrections and the governor’s office.

TRENDING: Jacksonville mansion where Latitude 360 CEO lived cited for illegal events

Jan Koon said their short visits with their son, Michael Gahwiler, is what keeps his spirits up as he finishes out his sentence at Putnam Correctional Institution.

“When you're only getting [a visit] even once a month, he's just overwhelmed to see us, you know,” Jan Koon said.

But on July 15, their visit was cut short before it even began.

Both have had complete knee replacements, so they usually get wanded or patted down, but on this day it was different.

“[The officer] just handed us this piece of paper and I read and I said, ‘A strip search!’ I said, ‘We've never had to do this before,’” Jan Koon said.

Gomer Koon said he even tried showing the officer a medical card to prove he has a surgical implant.

“I'll put my pant leg up if you want to see it and they said, ‘No, it's going to be a strip search,” Gomer Koon said.

“He said, ‘Because you may have drugs taped to your legs’,” Jan Koon said.

After driving more than an hour from Gainesville to visit with their son, the couple left that day without seeing him.

PHOTOS: $16 million estate for sale in St. Johns County

The Florida Department of Corrections is now looking into this incident after Action News Jax asked about it.

A DOC spokesperson said, “The decision to perform an unclothed search is made by the duty warden. Before a duty warden was consulted in this incident, the officer initiated consent of the search. The action taken by the officer was not appropriate and is being reviewed for disciplinary action.”

“I would like to see an apology from the lieutenant,” Jan Koon said.

The couple said they plan on visiting their son again in about a week. They hope the incident doesn’t repeat itself.

Cox Media Group