Dekarri Nixon, a former correctional officer at the Citrus County Detention Facility, pleaded guilty on Feb. 4 to accepting a bribe as a public official. Nixon faces up to 15 years in federal prison and the government is seeking forfeiture of $4,000, which prosecutors say he received for bringing contraband into the facility. A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.
Nixon was responsible for supervising federal inmates at the detention facility, where individuals are held while awaiting trial and sentencing. According to court documents, he agreed to accept $4,000 in exchange for smuggling a cellphone into the secure facility. Authorities say that introducing contraband such as cellphones poses security risks both inside and outside detention centers.
"Smuggling contraband, including cellphones, was a violation of Nixon’s official duty," U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe said in announcing the plea.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Marshals Service, and Citrus County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Buchanan is prosecuting.
