RICHMOND, Va. - A federal prison guard in Petersburg, Virginia pleaded guilty yesterday to accepting bribes in exchange for smuggling cigarettes to inmates.
Jermaine Brown, 37, of Chesterfield, Virginia, pleaded guilty to one count of bribery of a public official. In a statement of facts filed with the plea agreement, Brown admitted that he accepted bribes in exchange for providing contraband cigarettes to inmates while he was employed as a correctional officer at Federal Correctional Institute-Petersburg. After providing the contraband cigarettes, Brown instructed the inmates to have their friends or family members wire transfer money to a known associate of Brown.
On or about Feb. 10, 2011, Brown’s associate picked up two Western Union wire transfers totaling $1,450 sent by or on behalf of the inmates, and the associate delivered the money to Brown as a bribe for providing contraband cigarettes to inmates at FCI Petersburg. As part of his plea, Brown agreed that he received and accepted a total of $3,050 in bribes from federal inmates.
As a result of his conduct, Brown will be terminated from his employment as a federal correctional officer. Brown faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison when he is sentenced on Nov. 19, 2015. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Adam S. Lee, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; and Michael Tompkins, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after the plea was accepted by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck.
This case was investigated by the Department of Justice Office of Inspector General and the FBI’s Richmond Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erik S. Siebert and Michael C. Moore are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:15-cr-93.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
