By Ashwin Verghese
The Philadelphia Inquirer
GRATERFORD, Penn. — Four Graterford Prison guards could face three years in prison after being charged yesterday with smuggling drugs and cell phones to inmates.
Tony Strong, 46; Ronald Smith, 51, and Sheri Allen, 38, were arrested earlier in the day by the state police and FBI and charged with extortion and conspiracy to distribute drugs. Each lives in Philadelphia, as does the fourth guard, Allen Littles, 37, who faces similar charges and is expected to turn himself in shortly, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Louis D. Lappen.
The four guards are accused of providing inmates with marijuana, cocaine, heroin and cell phones in exchange for money and possibly drugs over a six-year period between 2001 and February 2007.
In addition to the four guards, another individual, Howard Grant of Philadelphia, 37, was charged in an indictment with supplying some of the drugs that were smuggled into the prison and with providing some of the drugs that were allegedly used as payment for the security guards.
“There is no ambiguity in the policies and procedures of the prison system,” U.S. Attorney Patrick L. Meehan said in a statement. “Every guard knows the rules. The indictments today allege that for a few dollars, these guards violated the rules and the trust placed in them by both prison officials and the taxpayers of Pennsylvania.”
At an initial court appearance, U.S. Magistrate Judge David R. Strawbridge assigned Strong, Smith and Allen lawyers and ordered them detained until a bond hearing Monday.
The maximum penalty is 40 years in prison, but the advisory federal sentencing guidelines for the guards is about three years, officials said.
In October 1995, hundreds of homemade weapons and some drugs were confiscated during a three-day raid of the prison by state and federal authorities.
As a result of the raid, two high-ranking officials were forced to retire. Two captains, four lieutenants and a hearing officer were reassigned.
In April 1996, a prison guard was caught smuggling 43 pouches of heroin. Authorities discovered the drugs hidden in his sock.
Copyright 2007 Philadelphia Inquirer