COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP, WLTX) — Multiple South Carolina corrections employees are facing federal charges related to bribery and bringing contraband into the state's institutions a week after a deadly prison riot.
Federal court documents show corrections officers and other agency employees are charged with bringing drugs and cellphones into state prisons.
A total of 14 indictments where handed down, which say these correctional officers and employees accepted bribes to smuggle contraband and cell phones into different state institutions in 2015, 2016 and 2017.
The employees included guards, food service employees, a groundskeeper, and a nurse.
Here are the names of the employees indicted:
Rachel Burgess, age 39
Joshua Cave, age 29
Jamal Ealry, age 23
James Harvey, age 54
Douglas Hawkins, age 29
Robert Hill, age 53
Sharon Johnson-Breeland, age 29
Darnell Kleckley, age 33
Holly Mitchem, age 37
Frank Pridgeon, age 64
Catherine Prosser, age 60
Camille Williams, age 65
Miguel Williams, age 41
Shatara Wilson, age 29
The accused are from correctional facilities across the state, specifically Tyger River, Perry, Broad River, McCormick, Lee, Lieber, and Allendale. All have been fired.
U.S. Attorney Beth Drake says most of the employees were intercepted before they were able to bring the items in. The items varied from cell phones to marijuana, alcohol, and food--including a hamburger.
Some of the defendants already were charged by the state, but federal authorities said they wanted to charge as well.
Drake says the investigation continues.
"This will continue to be a priority for our office," she said.
What this shows is a pattern of guards taking bribes from inmates. Just last month we learned of a guard at Allendale Correctional that was arrested for bringing in contraband and accepting more than a thousand dollars in return.
The indictments were unsealed just over a week after a deadly riot at Lee Correctional Institution that left seven inmates dead. Officials have said the riot was a fight among rival gangs competing for territory and contraband, and have long blamed cellphones for dangers inside prison.
This is a developing story. This article will be updated as more information becomes available.