Former Correctional Officer Charged With Smuggling Cellphones Into Dauphin County Prison

HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on July 31, 2020, Kyle Bower, age 31, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was charged with smuggling contraband into Dauphin County Prison. 

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the information alleges that Bower worked as a correctional officer in the Dauphin County Prison from September 2014 through May 2016.  It is alleged that during his employment, he smuggled cellphones inside of the Dauphin County Prison at the behest of inmates between October 2015 and January 2016.  The information also alleges that Bower received monetary compensation for providing phones to inmates. 

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Dauphin County Criminal Investigation Division in partnership with the Warden of the Dauphin County Prison.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chelsea Schinnour and Michael Consiglio are prosecuting the case.

Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is five years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.

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