Two USP Lewisburg Inmates Charged With Possessing Contraband In Federal Prison

WILLIAMSPORT – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jordan Reid, age 29, and Ralph Hooper, age 43, inmates at United States Penitentiary (USP Lewisburg), Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, were charged separately by criminal information with unlawfully possessing contraband in federal prison.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the criminal informations allege that on September 29, 2021, Hooper possessed a black Android cellphone and on October 5, 2021, Reid possessed a black LG cellphone while serving their federal sentences at USP Lewisburg.  Federal law prohibits inmates from possessing cellphones due to the institutional security risks posed by their use. 

The matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew O. Inman and Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur are prosecuting the cases.

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 one year of imprisonment.  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.

# # #