Drug Supplier Sentenced To 2 Years In Baltimore City Prison Scandal

BALTIMORE (WJZ)—Drugs, sex and cell phones behind bars. The scandal at the Baltimore City Detention Center made national headlines. Now another person is sentenced in the case.

Rochelle Ritchie has more on the judge's decision.

It is the shortest sentence Judge Ellen Hollander has handed in federal court since the process has begun in this case. The man sentenced Thursday entered a guilty plea back in November 2013 to being an outside drug supplier in the racketeering case.

Tyrone Thompson left the federal courthouse in a wheelchair with just two months of freedom left before he has to turn himself in to serve a two-year sentence in federal prison.

Thompson is just one of dozens of people indicted on federal racketeering and conspiracy charges involving a contraband smuggling operation at the Baltimore City jail ran by the Black Guerrilla Family gang.

"People are going to do significant time in federal prison because of their involvement in this conspiracy," said Rod Rosenstein, Maryland U.S. Attorney.

In court, Thompson told the judge he was sorry for his actions and asked for her mercy.

In a wiretapped conversation, the FBI determined Thompson was an outside supplier, providing prescription pills and marijuana to a correctional officer who would smuggle the drugs into the jail for it to be sold by members of BGF.

"The allegations in this case suggest there was significant corruption," Rosenstein said.

Evidence of Thompson's part in the illegal operation reveals the feds only had one phone call in which Thompson was heard organizing a sell. That one conversation granted him 24 months behind bars.

Even though Thompson's involvement at the Baltimore City jail was very limited, the judge says people like him were the engine to BGF's drug dealings.

The crackdown at the Baltimore City jail started last year. The BGF ringleader, Tavon White, who has already been sentenced, operated a lucrative drug dealing business behind bars.

According to federal investigators, White used correctional officers to smuggle the drugs, and impregnated four of them,--all behind bars.

Thompson, who is partially deaf and paralyzed from the waist down, has received the shortest sentence so far.

Thompson had no criminal record prior to this investigation. His attorney says he had legal access to the prescription drugs because of his medical condition.

Thompson must turn himself in to serve his sentence on April 14.

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