Ex-federal correction officer pleads guilty to bribery and smuggling in Brooklyn

January 12, 2024 Robert Abruzzese, Courthouse Editor

Comptroller Brad Lander and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams speak at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn, where former federal correction officer Quandelle Joseph admitted to smuggling contraband.
Photo: Mary Altaffer/AP

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A former federal correction officer pleaded guilty on Thursday to taking bribes for smuggling contraband into the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn, U.S. Attorney Breon Peace announced.

Quandelle Joseph, a 33-year-old from Brooklyn and a former federal correction officer, admitted his guilt in front of U.S. District Court Judge Dora Irizarry and now faces up to 15 years in prison at sentencing.

Hired in May 2020, Joseph quickly began accepting substantial bribes from inmates in exchange for narcotics, cigarettes and cell phones. Notably, Joseph once bypassed security protocols during a lockdown to deliver contraband directly to an inmate’s cell, an action that was to earn him $12,000. This misconduct was uncovered when MDC staff detected marijuana odor and found a contraband cell phone.

Joseph’s involvement extended to aiding inmates in evading detection. In January 2021, he warned one of the inmates, with whom he had a bribery arrangement, about imminent contraband searches, advising them to clear phone logs and texts.

Resigning from the Bureau of Prisons during the investigation, Joseph now awaits sentencing, facing a severe penalty for his actions. The case is being managed by the Office’s Public Integrity Section, with Assistant United States Attorneys Philip Pilmar and Sara K. Winik leading the prosecution.