Maryland Correctional Officer Pleads Guilty To Federal Racketeering Charge
GREENBELT, Md. (WJZ) -- Correctional Officer Janel Griffin pleaded guilty Friday to a federal racketeering charge for participating in a scheme to smuggle contraband into the Maryland Correctional Institute in Jessup.
According to her plea agreement, Griffin, 41, smuggled contraband into MCIJ for at least inmate Corey Alston, including narcotics and tobacco.
At Alston's direction, Griffin met with co-conspirator facilitators to receive contraband, as well as bribe payments.
Recorded jail calls between Alston and others confirm that between April 16 and August 14, 2017, Griffin met with Johnson or another facilitator on at least six occasions to obtain contraband and at least $2,800 in bribe payments.
Griffin smuggled the contraband, including Suboxone and Percocet, into MCIJ.
Alston admitted that he was a leader in the racketeering conspiracy. As detailed in the plea agreement, Alston conspired with four outside facilitators who obtained and packaged contraband, met with the correction officers and employees to provide contraband and bribe payments, and managed the proceeds of illegal contraband sales.
According to his plea agreement, Griffin and another MCIJ employee brought the contraband into the prison, in exchange for bribe payments. Alston also conspired with another inmate to sell the contraband to other inmates.
Alston was overheard by law enforcement on a series of recorded calls arranging for contraband to be smuggled into MCIJ and arranging payment for the contraband and for bribes.
Griffin and Alston each face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
