Former Correction Officer sentenced to prison for smuggling contraband into Rikers Island

April 27, 2023 Rob Abruzzese

A third Brooklyn prison guard in just over a month has been sentenced for accepting bribes to smuggle contraband to inmates. Former NYC correction officer, Katrina Patterson, joins the ranks of Jeremy Monk and Quandelle Joseph, as the city grapples with corruption within its prison system. Photo: Seth Wenig/AP.

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New York City is having a problem with its prison guards.

Another former New York City correction officer, Katrina Patterson, has been sentenced to a year and a day in prison for accepting over $34,000 in bribes to smuggle contraband into Rikers Island. United States District Judge Carol B. Amon handed down the sentence in federal court in Brooklyn.

This is the third prison guard to plead guilty or to be sentenced for accepting bribes in exchange for smuggling contraband to prisoners in New York City in a little over a month.

The other two officers were Jeremy Monk, a former Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) guard who pleaded in March, and Quandelle Joseph, another MDC guard who pleaded guilty a week ago.

Patterson, 32, formerly employed by the New York City Department of Correction (DOC), was responsible for overseeing inmates at Rikers Island. According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing, Patterson accepted at least $34,090 in bribes from co-conspirators in return for smuggling contraband, including cell phones and narcotics, into the Robert N. Davoren Center on Rikers Island.

Inmate Michael Ross, who was incarcerated on unrelated offenses, coordinated the bribes to be sent to Patterson.

During the investigation, the DOC found narcotics and cell phones in Ross’ cell. Law enforcement also discovered text messages between Patterson and a co-conspirator discussing the contraband, including one message in which Patterson stated, “it better be wrapped so many times I don’t want to smell it.” The two also discussed the need to delete their text messages.

Ross pleaded guilty in July 2022 to bribing Patterson and was sentenced by Judge Amon to 18 months’ imprisonment, which will run consecutively to the 16 years to life sentence he is already serving in state custody for an unrelated conviction.

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