Michael J. Moore, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, announced that thirty-three-year-old Curtis Drakes of Mitchell County entered a plea of guilty on Feb. 11, 2014, to conspiracy to provide contraband in prison before the Honorable W. Louis Sands, U.S. District Court Judge, in Albany.
As a part of his plea agreement, Mr. Drakes admitted that from about April 15, 2013 to May 16, 2013, while employed as a correctional officer at the Mize Street Detention Facility in Pelham, he accepted money from inmates in custody at the facility in exchange for cell phones, which are prohibited objects for the inmates.
The court scheduled sentencing for May 8, 2014 at 3 p.m. in Albany. Mr. Drakes faces a maximum sentence of five (5) years in prison.
“When Mr. Drakes smuggled cell phones into a secure detention facility, he not only violated his oath, he put the safety of his fellow guards, law enforcement officers, and potential witnesses in jeopardy. We don’t need people who are locked up using cell phones to conduct illegal business or intimidate witnesses in the community,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Moore.
The case was investigated by the United States Marshal Service and the Pelham Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Leah E. McEwen is handling the prosecution for the Government.
