Billie A. Holmes, Bribes for Contraband Smuggling, LA 2024

In a shocking display of corruption, 55-year-old Billie A. Holmes of Oakdale, La., has been sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison for receiving bribes to smuggle cell phones and tobacco into the Federal Correctional Institution at Oakdale.

According to Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook, Holmes pleaded guilty on January 17, 2017, to one count of bribery of a public official. U.S. District Judge Donald E. Walter handed down the sentence, which also includes two years of supervised release.

Holmes worked as an education contractor at FCI Oakdale from September 2014 to May 2015, during which time she received thousands of dollars from an inmate to smuggle contraband into the prison. The inmate paid Holmes to bring in cell phones and tobacco, which were then sold to other inmates for a hefty profit.

The investigation into Holmes’ activities began in January 2015, when another inmate informed law enforcement that he had been approached by an inmate who offered to sell him a cell phone for $1,600. Further investigation revealed that Holmes was working with the inmate to smuggle contraband into the prison.

During the investigation, Holmes was recorded making plans to smuggle a cell phone into the prison. Financial records also showed that she had received $4,200 in wire transfers between November 2014 and December 2014. The U.S. Department of Justice-Office of Inspector General investigated the case, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert F. Moore prosecuting.

The sentence handed down to Holmes serves as a reminder that corruption will not be tolerated in our federal institutions. The smuggling of contraband into prisons poses a significant threat to the safety and security of both inmates and staff, and those who engage in such activities will be held accountable.

The case against Holmes is a testament to the hard work and dedication of law enforcement officials who work tirelessly to root out corruption and ensure that our federal institutions are safe and secure. As the investigation and prosecution of this case demonstrate, corruption will not be tolerated, and those who engage in such activities will face the full force of the law.