Six Federal Inmates Indicted for Contraband Cell Phones

RALEIGH, N.C. – Six federal inmates housed at the Federal Correctional Complex in Butner, North Carolina (“FCC Butner”) have been charged with possession of contraband cell phones.

According to the indictment, the inmates, Rakeem Baldwin, Antoine Stanfield, Neshawn Howard, Alan Gutierrez, Shafter Manuel, and Ronito Gomez, were housed at three different institutions within the Butner Complex at the time of the offenses: the Federal Medical Center, the Low Security Institution, and the Federal Prison Camp.  Each has been charged with one count of possessing a cell phone.  Additionally, Antoine Stanfield was charged with a second count of destruction or removal of property to prevent seizure.

If convicted, each inmate faces up to a year of imprisonment for possessing the cell phone, with Stanfield facing an additional statutory maximum of five years for destroying or removing property to prevent its seizure.  Additionally, if convicted, the of the charge of possessing a cell phone would also make each inmate ineligible for credit under the First Step Act, which allows federal inmates to earn up to 365 days off of their sentence for participating in eligible programming while incarcerated. 

“Contraband cellphones in prison threaten the safety and security of the inmates and the institution as a whole,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “By indicting these six inmates at FCC Butner, we hope to send a clear message to the inmate population that the possession of cellphones will never be tolerated at FCC Butner.”

Thomas Scarantino, Complex Warden, at FCC Butner stated, “I would like to thank the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina for their continued support in prosecuting these cases. I would also like to thank the legal team and staff at FCC Butner who have assisted with this case. I have zero tolerance for inmates introducing contraband into FCC Butner that puts the safety and security of staff and inmates at risk.”

Federal Bureau of Prisons investigative staff are investigating the cases, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mallory Brooks Storus and Merrill E. Ward are prosecuting the cases.

An indictment is merely an accusation.  The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.