“South Carolina Department Of Corrections is Facing a Crisis in Contraband” – Says United States Attorney District of South Carolina, Beth Drake 

In April, 2019 United States Attorney Beth Drake announced the indictment and arrest of fourteen former employees of the South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) on federal charges related to accepting bribes and bringing contraband into South Carolina prisons.

Since 2016, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has partnered with state law enforcement to investigate the smuggling of contraband into prisons by staff at SCDC. The investigation uncovered a number of SCDC employees who accepted bribes to smuggle into prison various contraband, such as cell phones, narcotics, or tobacco.

July 15th, 2019 a former South Carolina prison guard who was paid $1000 by an inmate to bring a package of drugs containing 86 grams of methamphetamine, 408 grams of marijuana, blunt wraps and cigars  into the facility is now an inmate herself!

Janean Lateefah Dunbar, 41, was found guilty by a jury on charges of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, furnishing contraband to an inmate and misconduct in office. She was sentenced to 10 years, suspended to service of six years and five years’ probation.

This was one of the longest sentences imposed on a corrections officer in recent years, according to the Department of Corrections.

“I’d like to thank Solicitor Rick Hubbard and his team for prosecuting this very serious matter,” corrections director Bryan Stirling said in the release. “Anytime someone brings contraband into an institution and breaks the public trust, there needs to be consequences.”