A former correctional officer with the state prison has now pleaded guilty to contraband-related charges along with seven other employees from the Georgia Department of Corrections.
The woman pleaded guilty on Sept. 13 to a single count for the intent to distribute marijuana. There were two other charges against her that were dropped. For the charge, she could face up to five years in prison.
It’s believed that the woman had accepted bribes to smuggle in cellphones and marijuana at the McCormick Correctional Institution. She was not the only person charged, though.
Another seven people face charges including accepting bribes to smuggle in cocaine, marijuana, cellphones and tobacco among other items. The majority of items were phones and drugs, though some smuggled in jewelry or other items. Now, each of these people faces charges that could land them in prison for up to five years (for minor offenses) up to 20 (for more significant offenses).
These workers were among 14 who were indicted on charges for contraband in 2018. There is still at least one more case pending that includes another correctional officer. The news also reports that two correctional officers, along with 12 others, had previously been indicted and convicted for bringing contraband into state prisons.
This is one case that you may be interested in better understanding if you’ve been accused of transporting or smuggling in contraband within a prison system. It is a federal crime to do so, and you can face serious penalties including imprisonment and heavy fines. Your attorney can talk to you more about your options if you’re caught distributing or in possession of contraband.
