LAVA HOT SPRINGS — The first time the owner of Moose Hollow Ranch Bed and Breakfast outside Lava Hot Springs received a phone call from an inmate at the Bannock County Jail asking for a credit card number through the Telmate phone service provided to prisoners, she dismissed it as a prank.

    The fifth time she received a similar call in three days, Sher Hatley got mad and a little scared.

    “This is a private cell phone and I'm on the no-call list,” Hatley said.

    Calls from prisoners came at different times of the night and day and Hatley, who describes herself as an activist “who will not be bullied,” wanted some answers. She called the Bannock County Sheriff's Office. Hatley said at first the people in the sheriff's office didn't seem too concerned, but she persisted and eventually spoke to Lt. Kathleen Ballard who is in charge of communications at the jail.

    Ballard confirmed that five different calls from two or three different inmates had been made to Hatley's cell phone. Hatley wanted to know how they managed to get her number. Hatley said the only people who know that private number — she maintains a landline for Moose Hollow — are family, close friends and her LDS bishop.

    Hatley said at first Lt. Ballard said the number may have been accidently dialed by prisoners, but Hatley said she doesn't see how that could be possible.

    Bannock County Sheriff Lorin Nielsen has another explanation and he's not happy about the problem that Hatley has experienced.

    “More than likely someone got her number somehow and passed it around,” Nielsen said. “There's no need for her to go through this.”

    Sheriff Nielsen said one call to him and he would have made sure that number was blocked by Telmate. He also said that prisoners who use their phone privileges to harass people are subject to a loss of all phone privileges and possible criminal charges.

    When the Journal contacted Telmate, a representative, who would only identify himself as Santiago, said if a person is receiving unwanted calls from inmates asking for credit card or debit card numbers for extended time on the line, they need only call Telmate and the company will block the number.

    The Telmate service does allow inmates to call family members or friends and have them pay for extended time on the phone. A recorded message gives the person who has been contacted from someone in jail the option of approving or canceling the call.

    Hatley has cancelled the five calls she has received, but she doesn't want to deal with it anymore.

    “I want to be left alone,” she said.

    The frequent calls from Bannock County Jail have made Hatley take extra precautions at her bed and breakfast home where she has lived for 12 years — like double-checking all the locks and keeping an extra eye on things.

    “This is not good,” she said.

    After Hatley received the fifth call, she said she “had the worst night of sleep in my life.”

    Sheriff Nielsen said news like that distresses him and if anyone has problems with the Telmate service, they should call him personally and he will put an end to the problem.

    “We don't tolerate this,” Nielsen said. “We will make sure this doesn't happen.”