ATOKA COUNTY, Okla. ― One of the largest counties in Texoma is operating with one of the oldest and smallest jails, but not for much longer. We got a sneak peak Friday at the new Atoka County Jail and some insight into the challenges the county has overcome to build it. Shelby Levins has more.

We weren't allowed to use our camera inside the old jail, but we walked through it. It's old, outdated, and according to Sheriff Gary McCool, usually overcrowded.

The old jail is tucked into the basement of the courthouse. It is run down, and even in danger of failing state health codes. But soon a new facility will take its place.

Atoka County Sheriff Gary McCool says the construction process has been long and difficult.

"If people went through what we went through building the jail, if they went through that building a home, they probably never build one," McCool says.

Construction on the jail started more than six years ago. Even Sheriff McCool admits, it took a lot longer than he wanted.

"We had a few problems with the original contractor, fraudulent bonds. We basically had to shut down everything, bring in a new person."

While extra time may have been spent building these concrete walls, taxpayer money was not.

"Not a nickel of taxpayers’ money was lost. The person who put up the fraudulent bonds didn't get away with any taxpayer money."

The sheriff proudly showed us the new jail's high tech security features like surveillance cameras outside the building and inside each room, as well as touch screen control panels.

"This is basically nothing more than a huge concrete vault. There’s no way out, that you can leave this facility without going through at least two secure doors."

The jail was built for high security and minimal upkeep.

"Very little maintenance to this jail. The floors are concrete, the ceilings concrete, the walls are concrete. Nothing that a paint brush and a good mop bucket can't take care of."

The sheriff said in the past 20 years there have been two prison escapes from the old jail. One inmate sawed his way out, something that the sheriff said couldn't happen in the new jail.

"It would be hard for them to get a concrete saw in here. And it would be even harder for them to use it. This is a modern day secure facility. If somebody escapes, it's because of human error."

Sheriff McCool says the inmates will be moved into the new jail sometime after January 15th. They're just waiting on the 9-1-1 dispatch system to be moved over and a couple other last minute details.