Kalomi Kambui, 40, a former correction officer at the Golden Grove Adult Correctional Facility in St. Croix, Virgin Islands, pleaded guilty today to attempting to smuggle a controlled substance into the federal prison. The admission, made in U.S. District Court on St. Croix, ends a three-year investigation into the officer’s betrayal of her sworn duty, authorities said.
On June 12, 2013, Kambui accepted what she believed to be ecstasy pills—methamphetamine, under federal law—from an undercover agent. She also took cash, agreeing to deliver the drugs to an inmate housed inside the facility. The exchange was part of a sting operation coordinated by federal law enforcement. The pills were inert, and no actual drugs entered the prison.
Kambui never completed the delivery. Instead, she was arrested immediately after taking possession of the fake narcotics. Her actions violated federal law and shattered the trust expected of those guarding the federal penal system. The attempted smuggling operation exposed deep vulnerabilities in prison security at Golden Grove.
Now facing the consequences, Kambui is charged with attempted possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute inside a correctional facility. The offense carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. No plea deal details have been released, but the sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 19, 2017.
The case was investigated jointly by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Federal prosecutors say the collaboration was critical in dismantling a potential pipeline of drugs into the overcrowded facility, which has long struggled with corruption allegations.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alphonso Andrews, Jr. is prosecuting the case. U.S. Attorney Ronald W. Sharpe emphasized that corruption within correctional ranks will be met with zero tolerance. “Officers like Kambui don’t protect the public—they endanger it,” Sharpe said. “This conviction sends a message: breach the system, and we’ll bury you in federal court.”
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Key Facts
- State: Virgin Islands
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
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