ST. LOUIS – In a grim揭示 of corruption within the corrections system, U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Tuesday sentenced Steven M. Reminger, 53, to 87 months in prison for his role in a drug smuggling operation at the Eastern Reception Diagnostic and Correctional Center (ERDCC) in Bonne Terre, Missouri.
On May 25, 2022, U.S. Postal Inspectors nabbed Reminger with a package containing $4,000 in cash and a stash of deadly contraband: fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin, K2, THC edibles, marijuana, knives, and cell phones.
The investigation was sparked by inmates who raised the alarm after several deaths linked to drug abuse. One inmate told Missouri Department of Corrections (MDOC) investigators that Reminger had been sending drugs to a post office box in Farmington, Missouri, using a false name. U.S. Postal Inspection Service discovered that Reminger had received about 12 packages between Nov. 13, 2021, and May 24, 2022.
Reminger confessed to Postal Inspectors that the $4,000 was his pay for the drugs. He claimed ignorance, saying he never opened the packages and didn’t know their contents. Despite acknowledging the possibility that his actions contributed to inmate overdoses, Reminger said, “ignorance is bliss.” He also turned over $15,000 in cash he’d earned from the scheme, some of which went towards a dune buggy and two trailers.
In April, Reminger pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of attempting to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. The MDOC Office of Professional Standards, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol investigated the case, while Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Rebar prosecuted it.
Reminger’s downfall serves as a stark reminder of the dangers within correctional facilities and the need for rigorous oversight to prevent such corrupt practices.
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Key Facts
- State: Missouri
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
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