Former Jesup prison officer pleads guilty to accepting $80,000 in bribes
BRUNSWICK, Ga. (WTOC) - A former Bureau of Prisons corrections officer pleaded guilty in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia to bribery and money laundering charges related to a prison contraband trafficking conspiracy operating in Federal Correctional Institution – Jesup in the spring and summer of 2022, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia.
Ashley Brown, 36, of Hinesville, pleaded guilty to 24 counts of Public Official Accepting a Bribe and 16 counts of Laundering of Monetary Instruments for her role in a prison contraband trafficking conspiracy that operated within FCI Jesup in the spring and summer of 2022. Brown was the final defendant to plead guilty in the case of United States of America v. Ashley Brown et. al., which originally charged Brown and seven current or former inmates of FCI Jesup with drug trafficking, money laundering, and attempted possession of contraband charges.
All charged individuals have now been adjudicated guilty for their respective roles in the offense.
“In collaboration with our law enforcement partners, we are committed to protecting the integrity of our nation’s prison system from those who would exploit them for profit,” said U.S. Attorney Margaret E. Heap for the Southern District of Georgia.
Brown accepted bribes sent to her by individuals closely associated with FCI Jesup inmates through the financial transaction service Cash App utilizing three accounts bearing the fictitious names “Bonnie Bonnie,” “Clyde Clyde,” and “Honey Honey.” Brown received over $80,000 in bribes in exchange for allowing contraband such as methamphetamine, K2, cell phones, postage stamps, and cigarettes into FCI Jesup against her duties as a correctional officer.
Brown then transferred the funds to her personal Cash App account to obscure the source and ownership of the funds.
Investigators with the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General identified numerous inmates providing money to Brown through Cash App records. The Department of Justice brought charges against the following individuals, all of whom pleaded guilty:
| NAME | CHARGES | SENTENCING |
|---|---|---|
| Ashley Brown | 24 Counts of Public Official Accepting a Bribe, 16 Counts of Laundering Monetary Instruments | Awaiting Sentencing |
| Navarus “Tez” Bryant | 24 Counts of Bribing a Public Official, 24 Counts of Laundering Monetary Instruments | Awaiting Sentencing |
| Adrian “Abe” Sims | 1 Count of Possession of Contraband by a Prisoner | Awaiting Sentencing |
| Eric Reyes | Attempting to Possess Contraband in Prison | 3 years’ probation |
| Larry Andrews | Attempting to Possess Contraband in Prison | 5 years’ probation |
| Demarcus Bell | Attempting to Possess Contraband in Prison | 1 month imprisonment consecutive to current sentence |
| Quinton Davis | Attempting to Possess Contraband in Prison | 1 month imprisonment consecutive to current sentence |
| Joshua Whigan | Attempting to Possess Contraband in Prison | 1 month imprisonment consecutive to current sentence |
“Brown violated her sworn duty as a Correctional Officer by allowing drugs and other contraband into FCI Jesup, putting inmates and her fellow correctional officers at risk,” said Eric Fehlman, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Southeast Region. “The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General is committed to bringing to justice any Correctional Officer that violates their oath and smuggles contraband into federal prisons.”
The case was investigated by the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant United States Attorneys Bradley R. Thompson and Ryan E. Bondura.
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