Keith A. Griffith, 35, a federal inmate at FMC Lexington, was sentenced to 48 months in prison today for orchestrating a contraband smuggling ring from behind bars. U.S. Chief District Court Judge Karen K. Caldwell handed down the sentence, which will run consecutive to Griffith’s existing narcotics-related term. The conviction marks the final chapter in a sordid scheme that exposed corruption within the federal prison system.
Griffith admitted to conspiring with James Carrington, a corrections officer at FMC Lexington, to smuggle prohibited items—including cell phones, synthetic marijuana, tobacco, mp3 players, and weight supplements—into the facility. Carrington, considered a public official under federal law, acted as the inside man, receiving payments and contraband from Griffith’s outside accomplice, Stephanie Dukes of Louisville, Kentucky. The items were then funneled into the prison for Griffith’s personal use and resale to other inmates.
Dukes delivered both the illicit goods and cash bribes to Carrington, enabling the operation to run for an undisclosed period. She pleaded guilty to bribing a public official and was sentenced to 18 months in prison. Carrington, of Winchester, Kentucky, also pleaded guilty to the same charge and received a 24-month sentence for his role in the conspiracy.
Federal inmate Amai Rawls, another participant in the ring, pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor charge of conspiracy to introduce tobacco and cell phones into a federal correctional facility. He was sentenced to five months, to be served consecutively to his existing narcotics sentence. Rawls’ involvement highlighted the network of inmates and staff working in tandem to undermine prison security.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General, Chicago Field Office, and the FBI’s Louisville Field Office. Authorities say the scheme posed serious risks to institutional safety, with cell phones and synthetic drugs threatening to fuel further criminal activity inside the prison walls.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, John F. Oleskowicz, and Amy Hess jointly announced the sentencing today. They emphasized that corruption within federal facilities will be met with maximum penalties. Griffith’s 48-month sentence sends a clear message: crime doesn’t stop at the prison gate—and neither does accountability.
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Key Facts
- State: Kentucky
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
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