Grimy Times Exclusive
A former New York City correction officer has been sent to prison for accepting bribes in exchange for smuggling contraband into Rikers Island. Katrina Patterson, 32, of Jamaica, New York, was sentenced to a year and a day in prison for taking more than $34,000 in bribes to smuggle narcotics and cell phones into the Robert N. Davoren Center on Rikers Island.
Patterson was employed by the New York City Department of Correction (DOC) and worked as a correction officer at Rikers Island. According to court documents and facts presented at today’s sentencing proceeding, Patterson accepted at least $34,090 in bribes from co-conspirators in exchange for Patterson’s smuggling contraband into the Robert N. Davoren Center on Rikers Island for inmate Michael Ross.
Ross, who was incarcerated on unrelated offenses, arranged for the bribes to be sent to Patterson. DOC subsequently located narcotics and cell phones in Ross’ cell. Law enforcement also recovered Patterson’s text messages, including messages where a co-conspirator told Patterson that some of the contraband would be “4 black joints in 1 paper,” and Patterson responded, “it better be wrapped so many times I don’t want to smell it.”
Patterson also discussed with her co-conspirator the need to delete their text messages. Ross previously pleaded guilty in July 2022 to bribing Patterson and was sentenced today by Judge Carol B. Amon to 18 months’ imprisonment to run consecutive to the 16 years to life sentence he is serving in state custody for an unrelated conviction.
“This case is a stark reminder of the pervasive corruption that can occur within our correctional facilities,” said Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. “We will continue to work tirelessly to root out corruption and hold accountable those who seek to exploit their positions of trust for personal gain.”
The government’s case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Philip Pilmar in the Office’s Public Integrity Section.
The case is E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-196 (CBA).
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: Public Corruption|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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