ANCHORAGE, AK – A correctional officer at Goose Creek Correctional Center (GCCC) has confessed to a brazen scheme to smuggle contraband – including narcotics and cell phones – into the Wasilla, Alaska prison in exchange for cold, hard cash. Angela Lincoln, 43, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and bribery charges this week, admitting to years of corrupt behavior while entrusted with maintaining order within the facility.
Court documents detail a calculated operation that ran from approximately 2019 until mid-2020. Lincoln, a correctional officer with the Alaska Department of Corrections (DOC) since 2014, allegedly used her position to bypass security and deliver illicit goods to an inmate serving a staggering 100-year sentence. That inmate, in turn, distributed the Suboxone strips and cell phones throughout the prison population, building a black market network from behind bars.
The inmate didn’t act alone. With the help of family members and outside associates – dubbed “grinders” – he orchestrated the delivery of both contraband and bribe payments to Lincoln’s home. These “grinders” would conduct clandestine drops, leaving packages containing drugs and cash near Lincoln’s fence under the cover of darkness. The contraband was cunningly concealed within everyday items like books, plastic bottles, and even candy wrappers, designed to avoid suspicion. The cash payments were similarly laundered and hidden inside seemingly innocuous trinkets, greeting cards, and stuffed animals.
Lincoln, despite her duty to prevent contraband from entering GCCC and to ensure the safety of both inmates and staff, willingly participated in the scheme. She knowingly violated her official duties, accepting tens of thousands of dollars in bribes for her smuggling services. When initially questioned by FBI agents, Lincoln attempted to cover her tracks, falsely claiming the money came from the sale of old DVDs, video games, and a meat grinder – a blatant lie investigators quickly debunked.
Goose Creek Correctional Center, a medium-security facility, currently houses approximately 1,300 inmates and employs 333 staff. The breach of trust represented by Lincoln’s actions strikes at the heart of the prison’s security and underscores the ever-present threat of corruption within the system. The Alaska DOC provided valuable assistance in the FBI’s investigation.
Lincoln now faces a maximum sentence of fifteen years in federal prison for the bribery and conspiracy charges. Her sentencing date has not yet been set, and the final determination will be made by a federal district court judge, taking into account U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other relevant factors. Acting U.S. Attorney Bryan Wilson announced the guilty plea. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily Allen, Kelly Cavanaugh, and Ryan Tansey.
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Key Facts
- State: Alaska
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Public Corruption|Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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