Pittsburgh, PA – A former corrections officer has pleaded guilty to conspiracy and bribery of a public official in a case involving the smuggling of contraband cellphones into the Indiana County Jail. Alex Lewis, 26, entered guilty pleas today before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
Lewis, a former resident of Home, Pennsylvania, admitted to accepting multiple bribes from Rashon Richardson, a federal detainee housed at the Indiana County Jail, between June and August 2019. The bribes, totaling $400, were paid in cash and via a Cash App account. In return for the bribes, Lewis smuggled multiple contraband cellphones into the jail for use by Richardson and other federal detainees.
‘As a corrections officer, Mr. Lewis accepted bribes to facilitate the smuggling of cell phones into the Indiana County Jail,’ said Acting U.S. Attorney Kaufman. ‘His corrupt actions demonstrated his complete lack of integrity and compromised the security of the facility where he worked.’
Lewis faces a maximum sentence of not more than five years in prison for the conspiracy charge and 15 years for the bribery charge, as well as a fine of not more than $250,000 per count.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Pennsylvania State Police and the Indiana County Jail. Assistant United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
Richardson has pleaded not guilty and his case remains pending before Judge Bissoon. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Mandatory Facts:
Defendant: Alex Lewis
Criminal Charges: Conspiracy and Bribery of a Public Official
City and State: Home, Pennsylvania
Date: June 2019 (crime date) and November 2020 (plea hearing)
Sentence: Pleaded guilty, maximum sentence of 5 years in prison, $250,000 fine
Dollar Amount: $400 (bribe payment)
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Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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