Guard Guilty of Accepting Bribe to Smuggle Contraband into Jail

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 28-year-old former employee of the Costal Bend Detention Center has pleaded guilty to accepting a bribe as a public official, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez.

At today’s hearing, Misti Dawn Alva, of Corpus Christi, admitted she accepted money in exchange for delivering contraband to a federal inmate housed at the Costal Bend Detention Center in Robstown.

Avila was the warehouse supervisor and smuggled synthetic marijuana, also known as “K2” into the facility for inmates. During the course of the investigation, she met with an undercover agent and accepted cash to smuggle a package of synthetic marijuana to an inmate at the facility. Alva took the package, which she believed contained synthetic marijuana, and drove directly to the Costal Bend Detention Center. When she entered the facility, she was arrested and found in possession of the package.

Sentencing has been set for July 20, 2017, before U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos. At that time, Alva faces up to 15 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

This FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert D. Thorpe Jr. is prosecuting the case.