COs Arrested

[Jimd]

A little excitement where I work. I worked with these four officers for a number of years, and now they've tarnished our uniform and embarrassed my coworkers and me. All for a few extra bucks.



Guards Charged With Smuggling Drugs, Cell Phones To Inmates

U.S. Attorney Files Indictment


POSTED: 1:54 pm EDT September 21, 2007
UPDATED: 7:16 pm EDT September 21, 2007.

The U.S. Attorney filed indictments against four Graterford prison guards Friday for smuggling contraband to prisoners.

Prison guards Tony Strong, 46, Allen Littles, 37, Sheri Allen, 38, and Ronald S. Smith, 51, all of Philadelphia, were charged with extortion and attempted distribution or conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, according to the indictment.

Howard L. Grant, 37, of Philadelphia, who is not a prison guard, was charged with distribution and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, according to the indictment.

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According to the indictment, the defendants were receiving cash and/or drugs in exchange for supplying inmates at Graterford State Prison in Montgomery County with heroin, cocaine, marijuana and cell phones.
Grant was alleged to have supplied some of the drugs that were taken into the prison and the drugs that were used to pay some of the guards.

According to the indictment, Grant also was charged with supplying drugs to an individual who Grant believed was aiding an inmate, a convicted murderer, in an escape attempt. The escape was unsuccessful.

The time of all the alleged offenses ranged from 2001 through February 2007.
"There is no ambiguity in the policies and procedures of the prison system.

Every guard knows the rules," United States Attorney Pat Meehan said.

"The indictments (Friday) allege that for a few dollars these guards violated the rules and the trust placed in them by both prison officials and the taxpayers of Pennsylvania."

"These officers allegedly broke the law while they were being paid to ensure that inmates followed the rules. That's not something we can tolerate," Meehan said.

"They didn't just turn a blind eye to criminal activity in the prison, they promoted it, for a fee. The inmates who could afford the price were able to experience all the comforts of life on the outside. There wasn't much that drugs or cash couldn't buy them," Jody Weis, of the FBI, said. "You would think that someone who works in a prison would avoid any type of behavior that might potentially avoid him or her from seeing the inside of a prison cell."

"When our employees choose to violate the trust placed in them they place the public in greater danger and they place other employees and inmates in danger," Jeffrey Beard, Pennsylvania Secretary of Corrections, said.

As part of the long-term investigation, the following people were also charged and have been convicted: Daphne Nedab, a former corrections officer at Graterford Prison, was charged in January 2007 with insurance fraud; Charles Bob, a former Graterford Prison corrections officer, was charged in 2002 with attempting to distribute drugs at another prison facility.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the
Pennsylvania Department of Corrections and the Pennsylvania State Police.

[David Lowry]

That sucks but those are the breaks. I hope that they don't get put into the prison that they worked at. That would be certain death.

Hey.....they did what they shouldn't have and shall be dealt with. Shame on them.

[raven]

Hey Big Jimd, It's very unfortunate . REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE AND THE INTEGRITY YOU CARRY IN YOUR HEART . Let the work you've done for so many years Speak For Itself. Jimd, You're Good Man and from everything I've read.....You're One Hell Of A CO and Great Role Model. What happened only tarnishes them!!! Your Rise Above That My Man. Take Good Care and Be Safe Always. My Prayers Are With You

God Bless


-raven-

[Dr. Snubnose]

Jimd: Guys like this could never tarnish the uniform you wear... they weren't fit to wear the uniform to begin with, don't be embarrassed by their behaviour, it reflects on the people who hired and trusted them. You are better off without them in your company, these are not the kinda guys who you want watching your back. The only people who will miss them and their criminal activities are the convicts they served...there is a price to be paid for playing with fire in Hell...as it should be....Keep your pride Jim...chin-up, chest out, eyes sharp and remember at the end of your day you go home to your loved ones while the animals are left behind locked in their cages...as it should be....Be safe....I salute you and those men who are proud to wear the Co's uniform at your prison. May God bless you all......Doc

[The Deacon]

Jimd: Guys like this could never tarnish the uniform you wear... they weren't fit to wear the uniform to begin with, don't be embarrassed by their behaviour, it reflects on the people who hired and trusted them. You are better off without them in your company, these are not the kinda guys who you want watching your back. The only people who will miss them and their criminal activities are the convicts they served...there is a price to be paid for playing with fire in Hell...as it should be....Keep your pride Jim...chin-up, chest out, eyes sharp and remember at the end of your day you go home to your loved ones while the animals are left behind locked in their cages...as it should be....Be safe....I salute you and those men who are proud to wear the Co's uniform at your prison. May God bless you all......Doc

BIG +1 on what Doc said Jim.

Can still remember the day I was walking into one of the prisons I worked in and three COs were being led out in cuffs. Felt bad for everyone else who worked there, felt nothing at all for the three - perhaps because my mind was boggled by a total inability to comprehend how someone who has worked "in population" would ever do anything to wind up viewing the bars from the other side.

[Michael Cook]

Just more victims of the war against drugs. Ya can't legislate away people's desire to get messed up and incarcerated people even more so will look for ways of mental escape. After a point the amount of easy money becomes coercive in and of itself and people who otherwise would have been good and honorable for their entire careers fall prey to temptation (so much easy money!) and become publicly disgraced. The huge exploitative corporations, gangsters and those who would find a scapegoat reason to oppress minorities are the only ones truly benefitting from drug prohibition. Drug prohibition works no better than did alcohol prohibition. rant mode off.

[KaliGman]

Just more victims of the war against drugs. Ya can't legislate away people's desire to get messed up and incarcerated people even more so will look for ways of mental escape. After a point the amount of easy money becomes coercive in and of itself and people who otherwise would have been good and honorable for their entire careers fall prey to temptation (so much easy money!) and become publicly disgraced. The huge exploitative corporations, gangsters and those who would find a scapegoat reason to oppress minorities are the only ones truly benefitting from drug prohibition. Drug prohibition works no better than did alcohol prohibition. rant mode off.

Sorry Michael, but, in regard to the matter at hand, that is way off point. Drug policy has nothing to do with the fact that these men took an oath of office, violated that oath, completely dishonored themselves, and tarnished the reputation of their agency. If these guys wanted to be criminals, then they should have been criminals, and not attempted to hide behind a uniform and badge and spit on the accomplishments, sacrifices and honor of others who are trying to serve the public and do a difficult job. This is about duty and honor, not money.

As for money being too much of a temptation. BS. I have worked with LEOs who have "gone bad" and who have gone to prison. I have also seen millions of dollars in cash seized (I think the most I had in front of me at any one time was around $1.4 million), have been on operations where it would have been easy to "grab a little" of valuable commodities and/or cash and never even felt a temptation. I have worked primarily with men and women who also were honorable and would look at you like you had three heads if you suggested that they could "dip in" for a little extra funds.

In Jim's world, and in mine, you need to be able to trust your coworkers with your life. Compared to that, money is total crap. These guys are scum, pure and simple. I have more respect for a street drug dealer or an armed robber, as at least they are "honest" criminals and don't try to pretend to be what they are not. These guys never should have been in the same uniform as Jim, as they were definitely never even close to the league that he "plays" within. Unfortunately, many will see others who wear Jim's uniform, including Jim, in a negative light because they will compare all officers to these useless wastes of human skin who prostituted themselves and the good name of their agency for a few bucks. Money too much of a temptation? Would you sell your sister or mother to drug lords if they kept upping the price? These guys sold their souls. You come into the world with nothing but a good name, an unblemished and untarnished reputation. If you leave the world having upheld that reputation and your honor, then you have had a pretty successful life in my opinion.

Jim, I have been there and I know that you are feeling pretty low, even though you, personally, have no reason to feel badly. Anyone who upholds his honor, does his duty, and is a credit to his job, no matter what that job is, is deserving of respect.

[JD Spydo]

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[David Lowry]

I just wanted to make clear to you Jim that my previous post is saying that I am against the guys that got arrested and not you. I just re-read my post and I wasn't sure how it would be taken.

I support you 100% and you have nothing to be ashamed of bro. They were wrong, you just keep doing your job.

[Vincent]

It will come back on then whether they are in Jims prison or not. Other Honorable CO's even at other prisons, will find out they the new inmates were once Co's and you better be sure they will let the civilian inmates know about it. They are screwed either way, They deserve it though.

Keep up your honorable work Jim.

[Michael Cook]

Sorry Michael, but, in regard to the matter at hand, that is way off point...

Well said, well thought out criticism, thanks for the attitude adjustment .

I guess I was letting my general political views bias my perspective where this is a very specific situation. I understand a corrections environment will fall apart pretty quickly if the guards can't find the self-control to follow the rules.

[gac]

I have no work experience in law enforcement or corrections but those COs must be really stupid. Knowing that they are violating both the law and work policy and still doing it anyway?

The big one: You trusted a convict!? I'm certain that the prisoners are the ones giving all the evidence.

[KaliGman]

EDITED BY KALIGMAN ON 09/24/2007

Thanks JD

[ken]

KaliGman-Sir,

JD & MC made some good points. I think you read too much into them.

JD stated-What others do has absolutely nothing to do with you or your individual integrity. That pretty much say's it all.

BTW money is an Evil thing. Your just fooling yourself if you think it has no temptation. Just because someone puts on a uniform or robe, is an actor, lawyer, politician ect. does not make them without faults. although we do expect more from these people and when they screw up we hear everything..their just human my friend.

The guys that did this are probably good people with families and everthing that goes with it. They were stupid, they messed up. To label them Scum is messed up. They deal with scum....and I don't really think they wanted to be criminal's. I believe they thought what they were doing was a victimless thing. You state(in reguard to those officers) that you have more respect for a street drug dealer or armed robber!!!!!! Really? Maybe I've read to much into what you were saying.

[Dr. Snubnose]

KaliGman-Sir,

JD & MC made some good points. I think you read too much into them.

JD stated-What others do has absolutely nothing to do with you or your individual integrity. That pretty much say's it all.

BTW money is an Evil thing. Your just fooling yourself if you think it has no temptation. Just because someone puts on a uniform or robe, is an actor, lawyer, politician ect. does not make them without faults. although we do expect more from these people and when they screw up we hear everything..their just human my friend.

The guys that did this are probably good people with families and everthing that goes with it. They were stupid, they messed up. To label them Scum is messed up. They deal with scum....and I don't really think they wanted to be criminal's. I believe they thought what they were doing was a victimless thing. You state(in reguard to those officers) that you have more respect for a street drug dealer or armed robber!!!!!! Really? Maybe I've read to much into what you were saying.

Ken, Yes everyone has faults, but when someone puts on a uniform and takes an oath to uphold the law and set an example(I guess you have to have done that to appreciate it) and then lowers themselves doing something obviously criminal, you can't just say they were stupid and just messed up. How do you know that they really did not want to be criminals. And how could you for one minute believe that they thought what they were doing was a victimless thing? KaliGman is right!... they are scum and deserve to be treated and punished like the scum they really are...Doc

[ken]

Ken, Yes everyone has faults, but when someone puts on a uniform and takes an oath to uphold the law and set an example(I guess you have to have done that to appreciate it) and then lowers themselves doing something obviously criminal, you can't just say they were stupid and just messed up. How do you know that they really did not want to be criminals. And how could you for one minute believe that they thought what they were doing was a victimless thing? KaliGman is right!... they are scum and deserve to be treated and punished like the scum they really are...Doc

Doc-

Let me ask you this- Do you also have more respect for street drug dealers and armed robbers like KaliGman does? Or was he speaking in outrage at what they did?

I can see how fellow officer's would look at this in disqust.

Now to answer one of your questions with a question. You ask- How do you know they really did not want to be criminals? Well- How do you know that they really did want to be criminals?

I view it like this. (and we don't know squat about these guys) I'm just considering that they have been officers for awhile and have no records. Why on earth would any officer having to go to school and everything else to become an officer risk there livelyhood on something stupid...that sir is one of my reasoning behind my response and as far as a victimless crime goes these officers are dealing with criminals. When was the last time a criminal was a victim. I guess it's just my warped way of thinking.

I've have read many stories like this and of other offical type people, Duke Cunningham for one. Money can do bad things which also effects the brain process. The officers messed-up and were stupid.... Mr. K was wrong, and I disagree with you, this makes for good discussion, I'm not mad or upset with your opinion. I iust have a different point of view.

[JD Spydo]

*******

[KaliGman]

Ken,

Read the first post in this thread, which is about corrections officers being arrested for committing crimes. I fail to see what drug policy in the United States has anything to do with this topic. Do you actually believe that these men would not have committed crimes if all drugs were legal? If they can be corrupted, then they will be, regardless of the source.

Do I respect an armed robber on the streets more than these guys? Yes I do. I have no respect for the armed robber, but I would have to delve into negative numbers and profanity to describe my feelings for these "officers." Besides, according to your logic, maybe the armed robber just made a mistake.

Do you understand honor and keeping your word? These men signed on and swore an oath of office that involves them being paid by the public (tax dollars) to do a difficult and dangerous job, insuring the safety of the populace by making sure inmates do not escape, insuring the safety of the inmates by keeping them from assaulting each other, etc. Once these guys took money and brought in the first drug, they were owned. If an inmate asked the guard to look the other way during a killing, bring in a weapon, etc., the guard would have, or the inmate would immediately give the guard up as a drug dealer. Isn't blackmail a wonderful thing? Corrections officers and other LEOs are given the authority, by law, to "make' you do things. In order to facilitate public safety, they can make forcible arrests, doing things that would be assault if they were not being conducted in pursuit of a legal and necessary goal. For example, your neighbor yells at you and you wrestle him to the ground and are charged with assault. I chase a guy who is wanted for bank robbery and wrestle him to the ground and the robber goes to jail. The public has a right to expect that the people who they put in such positions of authority do not abuse it. Would you want one of those guards who were charged to decide whether or not you had committed a crime inside the prison and had to be "restrained?" How about life and death--to shoot or not to shoot? Every single time someone abuses a position of authority, the public trust in that position is lessened. At least an armed robber never had the public trust and never abused an oath or spit on the people that were supposed to be his comrades.

I assume you have zero combat experience or law enforcement experience or you should have "gotten" the fact that these men betrayed their coworkers, who were trusting these criminal guards with their lives every day. You seem to believe that anyone would be corrupted if enough money is offered. I pity you if this is true. I have worked with men and women who would literally die to protect you and yours. I have gone to some of their funerals. Where is the "profit" in someone stepping up and taking a bullet so that there comrades could live? It comes down to taking an oath and having honor. These men betrayed the public,themselves, and their coworkers. How about if these guys were teachers or clergymen teaching kids the joys of drug use and perhaps a few other illicit activities? Once again, it is about abusing a position of trust. They are SCUM.

JD, I answered your PM. Check your mail.

[Jordan]

Sounds like good riddance to bad rubbish.

[KaliGman]

Well said, well thought out criticism, thanks for the attitude adjustment .

I guess I was letting my general political views bias my perspective where this is a very specific situation. I understand a corrections environment will fall apart pretty quickly if the guards can't find the self-control to follow the rules.

Michael, no problem. I thought that as soon as I mentioned honor, oath and duty that you would "get" it, and there is nothing wrong with being passionate about your beliefs. Thanks for the feedback.