BOISE - Tiffany Culbertson, 23, of Meridian, Idaho, pleaded guilty last week to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act extortion under official color of right, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced. Culbertson pleaded guilty in front of Senior U.S. District Judge Edward J. Lodge pursuant to a written plea agreement filed with the Court. Culbertson’s sentencing is set for Feb. 21, 2019.
According to her plea agreement, Culbertson agreed with an Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC) inmate, Colin McIntyre, 27, of Stanfield, Oregon, to pay a correctional officer at an IDOC prison to bring in contraband cell phones. Culbertson then followed through with the plan, purchasing a cell phone and delivering it to the correctional officer, Joshua Barney, 43, of Boise, along with a bribe payment. Barney then brought the phone into the prison and delivered it to McIntyre, which was prohibited under IDOC policies.
Culbertson was one of three defendants charged by federal indictment with multiple crimes involving the bribery scheme. In prior court proceedings, co-defendants Barney and McIntyre pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act extortion under official color of right. McIntyre is set to be sentenced on Feb. 14, 2019. Barney is set to be sentenced on Feb. 19, 2019.
Conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act extortion under official color of right is punishable by up to 20 years imprisonment, a maximum fine of $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to three years.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and IDOC’s Special Investigations Unit.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
