BOSTON – In a shocking case of corruption, William S. Tidwell, a 50-year-old Correctional Counselor for the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), was sentenced to 2 years in prison for accepting payments from an inmate under his care.
Tidwell, a Keene, N.H. resident, was assigned to Federal Medical Center Devens (FMC Devens) in Massachusetts, where he had been working since 2008. His corruption began in 2018, when he started accepting thousands of dollars from Individual 1, an ultra-high net worth inmate, as part of a property management agreement.
According to court records, Individual 1 directed his business associate, Individual 2, to wire $25,000 to Tidwell’s close family member in November 2018. Tidwell then lied to a bank about a loan he received from Individual 2, forging the associate’s signature to support the false claim.
Tidwell’s corruption was uncovered in September 2023, when he pleaded guilty to receiving payments as a public official in violation of his official duties, making false statements to a bank, and committing identity theft. He was also ordered to forfeit $90,058 and pay a $10,000 fine.
U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young sentenced Tidwell to 2 years in prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy called Tidwell’s corruption “a betrayal of the public’s trust” and said it “undermines the integrity of the federal prison system.”
Tidwell’s case is a stark reminder of the corruption that can occur within the federal prison system. The BOP has numerous rules and regulations governing the conduct of its employees, including a ban on receiving payments or gifts from inmates. Tidwell’s actions were a clear violation of these rules and demonstrate a complete disregard for his profession and the trust placed in him by the public.
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Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
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