United States Attorney Richard B. Roper
Northern District of Texas

FCI SEAGOVILLE INMATE SENTENCED TO 30 YEARS
IN PRISON, WITHOUT PAROLE, FOR RUNNING
SCHEME TO SMUGGLE DRUGS INTO PRISON

DALLAS — Edmond Wright and his girlfriend/co-conspirator, Sherry Mathews, were sentenced yesterday following their conviction in April by a federal jury on charges related to running a scheme to smuggle drugs into prison, announced U.S. Attorney Richard B. Roper of the Northern District of Texas. U.S. District Judge David C. Godbey sentenced Wright, 34, to 360 months (30 years) in prison and sentenced Mathews, 42, to 60 months (five years) in prison. Wright’s sentence is consecutive to the other two federal cases for which he is serving time. He previously received 180 months (15 years) for his conviction in the Fort Worth Division of the Northern District of Texas, and a consecutive 36 months (three years) for his conviction in the Eastern District of Texas. Between the three convictions, his total term of imprisonment is 48 years, of which he has served approximately ten.

Edmond Wright and Sherry Mathews, both of Fort Worth, Texas, were each convicted on one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. Wright was also convicted on one count of attempting to possess contraband in prison, and Mathews was convicted on one count of attempting to provide contraband in prison.

The trial evidence showed that while Wright was an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institute (FCI) Seagoville from March 2005 until September 2005, he used his position in the Education Department to smuggle methamphetamine into the prison using the Inter-Library Loan Program, which allowed inmates to request specific books from local libraries, including the Dallas Public Library. Wright, with the help of his girlfriend, Sherry Mathews, and other inmates and their family members, intended to sell drugs while incarcerated.

U.S. Attorney Roper praised the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Suzanna Etessam and Keith Robinson.

###