John Grosso, Accepting Bribes, New Jersey 2023
A former corrections officer has been sentenced to two years in prison for accepting cash bribes in exchange for smuggling contraband into the Essex County Correctional Facility.
John Grosso, a 42-year-old resident of Belleville, New Jersey, pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit extortion under color of official right. He was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler in Newark federal court.
According to court documents, Grosso agreed to accept cash bribes in return for his assistance in smuggling cell phones and cigarettes to an inmate in December 2013. He met with the inmate's relative in Secaucus, New Jersey, to accept the contraband and bribe before delivering the items to the inmate.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Chesler sentenced Grosso to one year of supervised release. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rahul Agarwal and Robert L. Frazer.
U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman credited the FBI's special agents, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Richard M. Frankel, and the Internal Affairs Division of Essex County Correctional Facility, under the leadership of Warden Roy Hendricks, with the investigation leading to today's sentencing.
Grosso's defense counsel is Elizabeth H. Smith Esq. of Mendham, New Jersey. This case is part of the U.S. Attorney's Office's ongoing efforts to combat corruption and public integrity crimes in New Jersey.
The Essex County Correctional Facility is a federal pretrial detention facility, and the contraband smuggled into the facility included cell phones and cigarettes.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Internal Affairs Division of Essex County Correctional Facility. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rahul Agarwal and Robert L. Frazer.
This case is a reminder of the importance of upholding the integrity of our corrections system and holding accountable those who seek to compromise it for personal gain.
Key Facts
- State: New Jersey
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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