Former Federal Prison Officer Pleads Guilty in FCI Jesup Bribery and Contraband Scheme
BRUNSWICK, Georgia – A former federal corrections officer has pleaded guilty in federal court in Georgia to bribery and money laundering charges tied to a prison contraband trafficking conspiracy at Federal Correctional Institution Jesup, federal prosecutors announced.
Ashley Brown, 36, of Hinesville, pleaded guilty in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia to 24 counts of public official accepting a bribe and 16 counts of laundering monetary instruments. The offenses stem from a conspiracy that operated inside FCI Jesup during the spring and summer of 2022. Brown, a former Bureau of Prisons officer, was the final defendant to plead guilty in the case.
Prosecutors said Brown accepted more than $80,000 in bribes in exchange for allowing contraband, including methamphetamine, synthetic cannabinoids known as K2, cell phones, postage stamps, and cigarettes, to be smuggled into the prison. According to court records, the payments were sent through the Cash App platform using accounts with fictitious names, including “Bonnie Bonnie,” “Clyde Clyde,” and “Honey Honey.” Brown then transferred the funds to her personal account in an effort to conceal their origin.
The investigation was led by the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General, which identified numerous inmates who provided payments to Brown through electronic financial records.
U.S. Attorney Meg Heap said the case reflects a broader effort to safeguard the federal prison system. “In collaboration with our law enforcement partners, we are committed to protecting the integrity of our nation’s prison system from those who would exploit them for profit,” Heap said.
All defendants charged in the case have now been adjudicated guilty. In addition to Brown, those defendants include Navarus “Tez” Bryant, who pleaded guilty to multiple bribery and money laundering counts and is awaiting sentencing; Adrian “Abe” Sims, who pleaded guilty to possession of contraband by a prisoner and is awaiting sentencing; and several other inmates who received sentences ranging from probation to short prison terms consecutive to existing sentences.
Eric Fehlman, special agent in charge of the Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General Southeast Region, said Brown’s actions endangered both inmates and staff. “Brown violated her sworn duty as a correctional officer by allowing drugs and other contraband into FCI Jesup,” Fehlman said.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley R. Thompson and Ryan E. Bondura. Brown remains free pending sentencing, which has not yet been scheduled.
