Jermaine Brown, Accepting Bribes, Virginia 2015

RICHMOND, Va. – A correctional officer’s downfall was swift and severe as he was sentenced to 18 months in prison for accepting bribes to smuggle contraband cigarettes to inmates at the Federal Correctional Institute–Petersburg.

The defendant, Jermaine Brown, 37, of Chesterfield, pleaded guilty on August 20, 2015, to accepting bribes in exchange for providing contraband cigarettes to federal inmates. Brown, who was employed as a correctional officer at FCI Petersburg, had a simple yet profitable scheme: he accepted bribes in exchange for providing contraband cigarettes to inmates.

According to court documents, Brown’s associate would pick up wire transfers from the inmates’ friends or family members, with the last known transfer totaling $1,450. The associate would then deliver the money to Brown as a bribe for providing the contraband cigarettes. Brown agreed that he received and accepted a total of $3,050 in bribes from federal inmates.

The investigation into Brown’s activities began on February 10, 2011, when his associate picked up the wire transfers. The investigation was led by the FBI’s Richmond Field Office and the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General’s Washington Field Office.

Brown’s sentence was announced by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck after a guilty plea on August 20, 2015. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erik S. Siebert and Michael C. Moore prosecuted the case.

As the court documents revealed, Brown’s scheme was a simple yet profitable one. He accepted bribes in exchange for providing contraband cigarettes to inmates, and his associate would pick up the wire transfers and deliver the money to Brown. The total amount of bribes accepted by Brown was $3,050.

Brown’s sentence serves as a reminder of the consequences of accepting bribes and providing contraband to inmates. The investigation into Brown’s activities highlights the importance of transparency and accountability in the correctional system.

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