Inmate Who Bribed Correctional Officer To Smuggle Contraband To Him Sentenced To 15 Months’ Imprisonment

     The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that today in Scranton Senior United States District Court Judge James M. Munley sentenced Anthony Orlando Gibbs, age 37, formerly of Michigan, to 15 months’ imprisonment for bribing a correctional officer at the United States Penitentiary at Canaan to smuggle contraband into the prison.

     The sentencing follows Gibbs’ guilty plea to a Criminal Information charging him with bribery of a public official.  The Criminal Information noted that during the Spring and Summer of 2011, Gibbs was an inmate at USP-Canaan.  The United States Penitentiary-Canaan is a high security institution housing male inmates.  High security institutions, also known as United States Penitentiaries, have highly-secured perimeters featuring walls or reinforced fences, multiple- and single-occupant cell housing, the highest staff-to-inmate ratio, and close control of inmate movement.

     The Criminal Information further noted that under federal law, inmates are prohibited from possessing cellular telephones.  USP-Canaan is also a smoke-free environment; inmates are not allowed to purchase or possess any kind of tobacco product which is considered contraband within the institution.

     The Criminal Information alleged that Gibbs paid more than $5,000 to correctional officer Donald E. Lykon to induce him to smuggle to the defendant cellular phones, marijuana, tobacco and related items within the United States Penitentiary at Canaan.

     There was a plea agreement in the case which was accepted by Senior Judge Munley.

     Judge Munley previously sentenced correctional officer Donald E. Lykon to 18 months’ imprisonment and his wife, Kimberly Lykon, to 5 months’ imprisonment for their roles in the scheme. 

     The investigation was conducted by the United States Department of Justice Office of Inspector General.

     Assistant U.S. Attorney John Gurganus prosecuted the case.