Pubdate: Tue, 24 Sep 2013
Source: Baltimore Sun (MD)
Copyright: 2013 The Baltimore Sun Company
Contact:  http://www.baltimoresun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/37
Author: Jessica Anderson

CORRECTIONAL OFFICER PLEADS GUILTY IN BALTIMORE JAIL DRUG-SMUGGLING SCANDAL

A correctional officer pleaded guilty Monday in federal court to 
smuggling drugs into the Baltimore City Detention Center for members 
of the Black Guerrilla Family gang.

Adrena Rice, 25, could be sentenced to a maximum of 20 years for 
"frequently" bringing drugs into the detention center on the behalf 
of Tavon White, prosecutors said in court.

Authorities identified White as a top-ranking Black Guerrilla Family 
member at the jail who worked with correctional officers to get drugs 
and cellphones into the jails. He also impregnated four of the 
officers. Rice was not among the officers accused of conceiving a 
child with White.

Rice, who appeared in court in pink jeans and a leather jacket, did 
not speak other than to respond to the judge when he asked if she 
understood the terms of the plea agreement. Her attorney declined to 
comment afterward.

She worked as a correctional officer at the jail between 2009 and 
2013. According to her plea agreement, she "frequently smuggled 
controlled substances, including but not limited to marijuana and 
prescription pills into BCDC on behalf of Tavon White."

The document also said Rice "facilitated the smuggling of controlled 
substances in the BCDC by other corrections officers, such as 
Jennifer Owens and Katera Stevenson."

Owens and Stevenson, who each had a child with White, also have 
pleaded guilty in the scheme. White has also pleaded guilty.

Erin Julius, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Public Safety 
and Correctional Services, said employees who plead guilty to a 
felony can be fired without the right to appeal. She said she had to 
speak generally because the case involved a personnel matter.

A federal grand jury previously indicted 25 people, including 13 
female jail officers, earlier this year on racketeering and other 
charges as a result of the drug smuggling and corruption allegations 
at the downtown facility.

A special General Assembly panel began meeting in the summer to 
review the state's correctional system as a result of the case and is 
expected to meet through the fall and recommend improvements to 
prevent future scandals.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom