Jackson, Miss - James P. Cheatham III, 24, of Brandon, a former federal corrections officer, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan, III, to serve 15 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $1500 fine, for accepting bribes to introduce contraband into the federal correctional facility in Yazoo County, Mississippi, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Harold Brittain and Special Agent in Charge Robert Bourbon of the DOJ OIG’s Miami Field Office.
Cheatham previously pled guilty to a one-count federal indictment charging him with 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."
The case was investigated by the Department of Justice-Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erin Chalk.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
