'Staggering corruption': 46 correctional officers charged in years-long drug trafficking sting

The FBI arrested 46 current and former correction officers in a sting at nine facilities around Georgia, as a result of a two-year undercover operation went down early Thursday with raids by FBI at the prisons. The indictments revealed "staggering corruption within Georgia Department of Corrections institutions," said John Horn, the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia.

So, some more of those "bad apples" everyone speaks of.
LINK

The probe found that prison guards and staff were smuggling contraband such as liquor, tobacco and cell phones into the cell blocks for money. Inmates used the illegal cell phones to commit wire fraud, money laundering and identify theft. Officers are also charged with using their badges to facilitate drug deals on either side of the prison wall. The trafficking is said to include multiple kilos of coc aine and meth in exchange for thousands of dollars in bribe money.

Privatized prisons and a [possible] lack of vetted staff the issue? A recipe for corruption, indeed.

I really don't even have much to add. It's all too common these days and isn't "staggering" or "shocking" to those of us that already know. I'm jaded beyond measure, so without too much negativity added to an already negative topic, here ya go.

...........
And for good measure, I will say...End the war on drugs. Quit sending people to prison for non-violent drug crimes. Quit criminalizing (in some cases) otherwise decent people because their DOA is "illegal".

I don't know though, there is no solution when those with the power are the real drug dealers. There are no solutions when this news is "staggering" [still yet] to the general public. If (and many aren't) people aren't aware by now, they are living in some msm cave or something. It's blatantly obvious, and blatantly pervasive. This is not a case of "a few bad apples", this is systemic!

*drops mic before I rant for days

a reply to: Jakal26

I can imagine being one of those inmates and watching the C.O.'s get taken away by the FBI, still in their C.O. uniforms. Youch..

Corruption is rampant, and not at all surprising. Fine undercover work from the sound of it though.

a reply to: Jakal26

I like seeing things like this come to light, not because I am shocked and awed by the fact that there is corruption in the west but because I know how much corruption there is and how well it is covered up.

Any big contraband operation, including drugs, arms etc is held together by authority cooperation IE police, customs, government. Otherwise these black markets just wouldn't work - because when it comes to it, if we had to, with only few resources we could track down where all drugs, weapons etc come from - it really is that easy but it is another elephant in the room.

a reply to: Jakal26

Only a few bad apples.......right?

RIGHT???????

a reply to: FamCore

I can imagine being one of those inmates and watching the C.O.'s get taken away by the FBI, still in their C.O. uniforms. Youch..

I'd be taking names, but they probably already knew who was doing what. Word spreads quickly through the pen.
Of course, it wouldn't matter....if convicted, these guys will be in ad seg, untouchable. Sad, really.

When you see those who "rule over" you doing the sh*t they stuff you in the pen for. Yeah, can't say I wouldn't be out for blood.

Fine undercover work from the sound of it though.

Deep covers busting other undercovers. LOL....it's like a big a** game of cat and mouse. Such nonsense.

a reply to: and14263

I like seeing things like this come to light

Yeah, me too. Adds to the list of things I can show the unaware when they try to talk to me about who are the "bad guys" and the "good guys". Never a bad thing.

Any big contraband operation, including drugs, arms etc is held together by authority cooperation IE police, customs, government.

Agreed.
But.....

when it comes to it, if we had to, with only few resources we could track down where all drugs, weapons etc come from - it really is that easy but it is another elephant in the room.

When those resources are corrupted....
....and I just don't think it's that simple. Sure, for a lot of imported drugs, yes. But it is very VERY easy to manufacture certain drugs (meth) so I don't think it could all be gotten to. Some black market dealers do not rely on authorities, not directly anyways. But I do get what you're saying and again, I agree, for the most part.

This system and the way the "drug war" is fought is not "broken" or ill prepared. It was set up and is meant to be this way, that's why it won't stop. Far too much money in too many hands for this to be "taken care of" properly. That's the sad truth.

I've all but given up, besides sharing the info. There isn't much any of us can ever do about it, besides sharing it with others, raising awareness. But, not even that is going to be enough. In the end, you corner these people (everyone from corrections officers to judges and DA's, private prisons...the list goes on) and they WILL snuff you out/us out. It's that simple. They won't allow this power (and the huge profits that comes from this farce) to be stripped from them willingly. They will fight and they will kill (and have done both, many times over) to cling to it...

Like I said, I'm just beyond f**king jaded about this sh*t, at this point.

a reply to: IslandOfMisfitToys

Just one or two

Of course, how high up does all this stuff go is the better question.
People often focus on the beat cops and the like (and corrections officers)....basically grunts, yet fail to see the corruption and those "bad apples" with much more power and pull. Of course, that's what the aforementioned desire, keeps the focus off them.

Like I said, the system isn't "broken", it was designed this way. It is working wonders for those stuffing their pockets with this blood money.

I hope there is a hell (even though I know there isn't) so these f**ks can rot there for their crimes. Pieces o sheet!

originally posted by: IslandOfMisfitToys
a reply to: Jakal26

Only a few bad apples.......right?

RIGHT???????

Trick Down rottenness.

Let's make some Apple Cider Vinegar!

a reply to: Jakal26

Pretty sure COs at a private prison are not law enforcement personnel, any more than a private security guard at a hotel is.

The "bad apples" angle doesn't really apply here.

ETA - if in fact they're privately run facilities, anyway.

a reply to: Shamrock6

Pretty sure COs at a private prison are not law enforcement personnel, any more than a private security guard at a hotel is.

Pretty sure I already knew that.

And yes, the "bad apples" angle is "appropriate" here and abound. It doesn't just apply for LEO, whether you think it does or not.

If you cannot see the blatant corruption at all levels, I don't know what to tell you.
They work hand in hand...all patting each others backs and padding each others' pockets.

a reply to: Jakal26

Meh. You can lump in non law enforcement personnel with law enforcement if it makes you feel better. To me, that's no different than lumping Securitas in with law enforcement. They aren't.

originally posted by: Shamrock6
a reply to: Jakal26

Pretty sure COs at a private prison are not law enforcement personnel, any more than a private security guard at a hotel is.

The "bad apples" angle doesn't really apply here.

ETA - if in fact they're privately run facilities, anyway.

I dunno, it seems to be Georgia DOC, and Georgia state law says they're peace officers like any other. I can't find anything that says they're mall cops or something.

ETA: There's this...
The Georgia Peace Officer
By statutory definition, a peace officer is any person who is vested expressly either by law or by virtue of public employment or service with authority to enforce the criminal or traffic laws through power of arrest and whose duties include the preservation of public order, the protection of life and property, and the prevention, detection or investigation of crimes.
State officers such as the Georgia State Patrol, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and the Georgia Department of Corrections, deputy sheriffs, county police, municipal police, and campus police are a few of the many examples of peace officers. Additionally, the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council also has a statutory responsibility to certify non-peace officers such as communications officers and detention officers.

DOC has more personnel than just jailers though, so maybe this refers to probation cops. I can't find a clear cut definition that they aren't all certified officers, though.

a reply to: Jakal26

Without reading the entire story (I doubt that I have to), I agree completely with you that the problem is systemic.

On top of that, I don't think privatization of the prison system over keeping it gov't-funded would make a difference either way, although I would argue that, in general, government entities do have the appearance of greater corruption, although that could just be because they have greater oversight and get called on it more often in a public way.

Yes, ending the war on drugs would be a fantastic start--I'm of the belief that we should be doing everything that we can as a society to keep prison populations low, as they are a drain on the economy/tax dollars and they do nothing to rehabilitate (and, actually, do more to escalate the criminal mind). We need to start remembering how detrimental to the human psyche it is to strip someone of their freedoms and put them in a cage surrounding by "iffy" individuals. This is taken way too lightly these days--it reminds me of when I was in the military and there were a lot of commanders who, instead of dealing with the problem head on, would just allow problem Soldiers to just PCS to a new unit. That Soldier wasn't their problem anymore.

I feel like that's what society does to our criminals.

Prisons should only be for major offenses, IMO. Deterrence should come from proper upbringing--another thing that society is jettisoning in lieu of having public schools and daycares raise our youth. But that's another topic for another day.

ETA: I have a neighbor who is a CO at a county jail, and she is currently seeking other employment because the CO system is pretty much based on a good-ol'-boys network, half of them don't do their jobs, and then there are some that are suspected of (or known to be, by other non-corrupt COs like my neighbor) of being corrupt. It's not a healthy place to work if you're a good person. She is. She wants to get away from it.

a reply to: Shamrock6

It is you and you only trying to "lump in" anyone with anyone else. I never said that. It is only because you are reading the "a few bad apples" line and instantly think LEO.

The only connect I made was how, at all levels, they (the corrupt within all ranks) are working hand in hand.
What is it you don't understand about that...? And why are you trying to pigeon hole me?

Do you have any thoughts on the actual content of the thread, or are you just going to go on about how these are "rent a cops" and not "real LEO", though I've essentially defined the difference in my replies and conceded that? (Though Bedlam is stating something a bit more "connective" in his reply above this one....so there is that)

a reply to: SlapMonkey

Completely agree.
And without going into it at all (because I'm too lazy to type it out).....your reply is essentially completely in line with my thoughts on a variety of issues you speak of there.

......my days of "screaming it from the rooftops" feel "over". My heart just isn't in it anymore.
Like I said, share it, show it.....name and shame those that participate in this corruption....and go on. There is nothing more I can do.

A sad truth I've learned along the way.

a reply to: Jakal26

Careful about "screaming it from the rooftops".

In Fresno they will murder you and burn down your house with you in it.

I have some acquaintances in jail and the stories they tell of the smuggling, etc are kind of hilarious. Law enforcement is a step behind and many are most definitely involved with smuggling it in.

Greed and corruption does not go away because someone puts on a badge or is in an authority position. Man is not infallible. There will ALWAYS be corruption. ALWAYS.

I do believe we need to reassess the drug war and its effectiveness. We are obviously losing and I'd rather see the money spent on prevention and rehab. We might actually be able to afford a better health system or other benefits to society at large if we weren't pissing away so much money with the drug war.

originally posted by: Shamrock6
a reply to: Jakal26

Meh. You can lump in non law enforcement personnel with law enforcement if it makes you feel better. To me, that's no different than lumping Securitas in with law enforcement. They aren't.

There are some pretty shifty laws concerning private prisons and their employees.
If one were to assault a CO working in transportation or a private prison that person would be charged with assaulting a LEO.
Maybe they are deputized, I don't know. The whole "for profit" prison industry is offensive and wrong on all levels but I have first-hand experience with laws concerning their employees.

Business as usual...ooh is that a Kardashian!?!

a reply to: Jakal26

a reply to: Bedlam

That's why I added my ETA. The OP mentioned private prisons, which are staffed by no more than guards with no more authority than private security guards. Then I saw its DOC, so who knows. Where I'm at, private prison guards have zero authority once they leave the fence. They can't even pursue escaped prisoners without bringing in local sheriff/police and state patrol first.

a reply to: Jakal26

lol that's ludicrous man. You know damn well what you meant with your "few bad apples" jibe, and pretending otherwise is infantile. The only time that's trotted out is when it comes to law enforcement. No amount of bending or twisting on your part changes that, nor does it change your obvious intent.