Two officers charged in contraband smuggling scheme at New York City's Rikers Island
CBSN
Two New York City correction officers are accused of smuggling contraband to gang members at Rikers Island Correctional Facilities, the Department of Justice announced Tuesday. Four other people, including two then-inmates at the facility, have also been charged for their alleged roles in the operation.
According to a criminal complaint, inmate Michael Ross arranged for Ashley Medina and Imani Matthews to send more than $30,000 on his behalf to correction officer Katrina Patterson in exchange for contraband. The New York City Department of Corrections said narcotics and cell phones were located in Ross' cell at the Robert N. Davoren Center on Rikers Island. They also had surveillance video showing Patterson delivering unauthorized items to Ross.
In text messages reviewed by law enforcement, Matthews told Patterson that some of the contraband would include "4 black joints in 1 paper." Patterson responded: "It better be wrapped so many times I don't want to smell it." The two also discussed the "need to delete their text messages," the DOJ said.
