Federal Correctional Officer Charged in Bribery Scheme

Petersburg Prison Guard Indicted for Smuggling Heroin, Marijuana,
and Cigarettes to Inmates in Exchange for Bribes

RICHMOND, Va. – Jermaine Brown, 37, of Chesterfield, Virginia, was charged by a federal grand jury on Tuesday with conspiracy to commit bribery and bribery for his alleged role in a prison bribery scheme.

According to the indictment, from the Fall of 2010 until March 25, 2013, while employed as a federal correctional officer and recreational specialist at the Federal Correctional Institution-Medium, Petersburg, Virginia, Brown engaged in a conspiracy to smuggle heroin, marijuana, and cigarettes to multiple inmates within the prison in exchange for bribes.  The indictment charges that inmates would have friends or family outside of the prison wire transfer money to Brown’s co-conspirator, who would then pay Brown.  From December 2010 through March 2011, the indictment alleges, Brown received at least five wire transfers from inmates totaling $3,050 in exchange for contraband.

Brown faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison if convicted. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Adam S. Lee, Special Agent-In-Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; and Michael Tompkins, Special Agent-In-Charge, Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General, made the announcement after Brown’s initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge David J. Novak.

This case was investigated by Department of Justice-Office of Inspector General and the FBI’s Richmond Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.  Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:15CR93.

An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.