Federal Prison Guard Sentenced To Prison For Conspiring To Bring Marijuana Into Prison For An Inmate

Augusta, GA: Anna Marie McDonald, 57, from McRae, Georgia, was sentenced last week by Senior United States District Court Judge Dudley H. Bowen, Jr. to serve 6 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release for her role in a conspiracy to bring marijuana into a federal prison facility for an inmate.

According to evidence presented during the guilty plea and sentencing hearings, McDonald, a former Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Contract Correctional Officer assigned to the Correctional Institution in McRae, agreed through text messages to provide marijuana to an inmate in December 2014 in exchange for money.  Evidence also showed that McDonald had smuggled both alcohol and cigarettes into the facility for inmates on other occasions.  As a result, federal inmates Juan Carlos Armenta-Garcia and Oscar Sierra-Rubio were both convicted of receiving contraband in prison.  In October 2015, each received a 6 month prison term followed by a year of supervised release.

United States Attorney Edward Tarver said, “This defendant chose to place her own greed above the safety of other BOP employees and the public she was sworn to protect.  Those who agree to smuggle contraband into federal prisons can expect to join the inmates from whom they are attempting to profit.”

The case was investigated the U. S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General.  Assistant U. S. Attorney Nancy C. Greenwood prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.  Any additional questions should be directed to First Assistant James D. Durham at (912) 201-2647.