BATON ROUGE- According to a release, a correctional center nurse was booked with sexual battery and malfeasance in office after an investigation.

Thursday, the Department of Public Safety and Corrections investigators immediately acted when they received information that a nurse at Elayn Hunt Correctional Center was allegedly having a non-professional relationship with an offender.

According to the release, the nurse was identified as 44-year-old Laurie Ballard.

When confronted by investigators, Ballard allegedly admitted to having sexual contact with the offender on several occasions over the past few months. Ballard also allegedly admitted to emailing the offender using an alias. The case will be turned over to the district attorney for prosecution.

Ballard is on administrative leave pending disciplinary action. According to the release, Ballard has been employed at the Elayn Hunt Correctional Center since 2007.