Albert Larry Harris Jr., a 27-year-old former federal correctional officer from Lake County, Florida, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for accepting a $5,000 bribe to smuggle drugs and tobacco into a high-security prison. The sentence, handed down by Senior U.S. District Judge James D. Whittemore in Ocala, marks the end of a swift fall from sworn officer to convicted felon.
Harris admitted guilt on November 15, 2017, after signing a plea agreement that detailed his criminal conduct while assigned to the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex. Once trusted to uphold federal law behind bars, Harris instead became a conduit for contraband, exploiting his access to deliver Suboxone strips and tobacco to inmates in exchange for cash.
According to federal prosecutors, Harris began the illicit operation in June 2017, slipping drugs and tobacco into the prison under the guise of official duty. His greed caught up with him on August 22, 2017, when he met an undercover agent in Ocala and accepted $5,000 and 200 Suboxone strips—intended for delivery to a federal inmate—as part of a sting operation.
The handoff was the final act of Harris’s criminal run. Moments after the exchange, federal agents moved in and arrested him on the spot. Dash cam footage and recorded conversations revealed the full extent of his betrayal, with Harris discussing drop-offs and payments like a street-level dealer, not a federal employee.
The case was jointly investigated by the Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General (DOJ OIG), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation—agencies that do not take kindly to corruption within federal custody operations. The probe exposed vulnerabilities in prison oversight and sent a warning to other staff considering similar crimes.
Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr. prosecuted the case, pushing for accountability in a system where trust is paramount. Harris now begins a 24-month sentence not as an officer of the law, but as an inmate in the very system he betrayed.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
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