BROOKLYN, NY – A former federal correctional officer at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn (MDC-Brooklyn) has confessed to attempting to turn the lockup into a smoke shop and pot den. Najee Jackson, 32, of Brooklyn, pleaded guilty today to attempted provision of contraband in prison, admitting he tried to smuggle vacuum-sealed bags of marijuana and cigarettes into the very facility he was sworn to protect.
The scheme unraveled in January 2025, when Jackson, while reporting for a night shift, repeatedly failed to clear the MDC-Brooklyn metal detector. Investigators say he eventually removed his Bureau of Prisons-issued protective vest – and that’s where the contraband was found. The bust, a blatant breach of trust, has landed Jackson facing up to five years in federal prison. He resigned from the Bureau of Prisons just two days after the attempt.
“The defendant admitted to bringing contraband into the very jail he was charged with protecting,” declared United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Joseph Nocella, Jr. “His actions undermined the safety and security of his fellow correctional officers and the inmates at MDC-Brooklyn. As today’s conviction demonstrates, my Office will ensure that anyone who would abuse their position of trust at a federal prison is brought to justice.”
Ryan T. Geach, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General (DOJ-OIG), echoed Nocella’s sentiment. “The Office of the Inspector General remains committed to rooting out corruption within our federal prisons,” Geach stated. “Today’s guilty plea demonstrates that those who betray the trust and jeopardize the safety of their fellow correctional officers and citizens will face consequences for doing so.”
Court filings reveal Jackson began his employment at MDC-Brooklyn in November 2023. On January 21, 2025, he arrived for his shift around 12:15 a.m. Standard security protocols require all staff to pass through a metal detector and have belongings screened by x-ray. Jackson’s multiple failed attempts to bypass security raised red flags, ultimately leading to the discovery of the hidden stash within his vest.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Russell Noble of the Office’s Public Integrity Section. Jackson, case number 25-CR-67 (OEM), awaits sentencing, and his career in corrections is undoubtedly over. This case serves as a stark reminder that even those entrusted with maintaining order can succumb to corruption, and the DOJ-OIG will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute such offenses.
RELATED: Busted: Officer Jackson Tried to Smuggle Drugs Into Brooklyn Jail
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Public Corruption|Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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