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| Corrections Officer Caught smuggled phones |
| By DON THOMPSON , Associated Press, montereyherald.com |
| Published: 04/25/2011 |
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SACRAMENTO — A former California correctional officer has been sentenced to 45 days in jail for smuggling cellphones to state prison inmates. Terry Lane was fined $5,700, which the Sacramento County district attorney's office said is the amount of bribes he accepted from inmates for bringing in the phones. He also was placed on three years' probation. The four-year veteran was caught Aug. 7 bringing three phones into California State Prison, Sacramento. Prosecutors charged that he had brought in multiple phones over a three-month period. It's the kind of activity corrections officials are battling with trained dogs, random searches and new technology to block unauthorized calls. Lane, 25, of San Jose, pleaded guilty Friday to felony conspiracy to aid a state inmate's unauthorized communication. A bribery charge was dismissed in a plea deal. The conspiracy charge carried a maximum sentence of three years in state prison. Possessing a cellphone behind bars violates prison rules but is not illegal. Inmates can lose early release credits, and employees caught smuggling phones can lose their jobs. Supervising Deputy District Attorney Steve Secrest said those who smuggle the phones can face felonies if prosecutors can prove they conspired with inmates, as they did in Lane's case. He noted in a statement that the phones can be used to plan crimes and escapes. The problem has been growing for several years, despite the prison system's use Read More. |
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