US prison arrests over sex-for-contraband ends in a shoot-out

AN attempt to arrest US federal prison guards in a sex-for-contraband probe erupted in gunfire that killed a Justice Department agent and one of the guards yesterday.

The agents were trying to arrest six guards at the Federal Detention Centre in Tallahassee, Florida on charges that included giving prisoners alcohol and other contraband in exchange for sex and money, an investigator said.

One of the indicted guards opened fire and was shot dead, FBI spokesman Jeff Westcott said. An agent from the Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General was also killed, he said.

Another prison worker was shot and taken to a hospital, his condition was unknown, Westcott said.

Prison spokeswoman Carla Wilson said no prisoners were involved and the facility had been secured.

The six guards were indicted on Tuesday on charges of conspiracy, bribery, witness tampering, mail fraud and interstate transportation in aid of racketeering, according to the US Attorney’s office in Tallahassee.

“What this involves is the defendants using their official positions to obtain money from inmates in exchange for introducing contraband into the prison,” said Michael Folmar, FBI special agent in charge of the investigation.

The suspects had conspired for nearly three years to trade contraband for money and other payment, and would face 20 years in prison if convicted.

The shootout took place in the lobby of the detention centre in the Florida state capital, which holds men for short-term incarceration. It is next to the Federal Correctional Institution, a long-term detention facility for women.

The indicted guards worked at both facilities, prison officials said.