Jackson, Miss - James P. Cheatham III, a former federal corrections officer, has been charged with accepting bribes to introduce contraband into the federal correctional facility in Yazoo County, Mississippi, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Harold Brittain, Special Agent in Charge Robert Bourbon of the DOJ OIG’s Miami Field Office, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Freeze.
Cheatham, age 24, of Brandon, Mississippi was charged in a one-count federal indictment with a violation of Title 18 USC 201(b)(2)(C) - being a public official providing to an inmate a prohibited object.
"Greed and corruption have no place in our criminal justice system," stated Special Agent in Charge Robert Bourbon of the DOJ OIG’s Miami Field Office. "We want to thank our law enforcement partners for their continued efforts to ensure that individuals who abuse their position are vigorously investigated, prosecuted, and punished."
Cheatham made his initial appearance in Jackson on Thursday, March 23, 2017, before United States Magistrate Judge F. Keith Ball. The case is set for trial on May 2, 2017, before U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III. If convicted, Cheatham faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine.
The case was investigated by the Department of Justice-Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erin Chalk.
The public is reminded that an indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
