Former Federal Correction Officer Sentenced to Prison for Accepting Bribes in Exchange for Smuggling Contraband into the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn

Press Release

Defendant Provided Narcotics and Cell Phones to Inmates in Exchange for More Than $20,000

Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, former federal correction officer Quandelle Joseph was sentenced by United States District Judge Dora L. Irizarry to 30 months' imprisonment for accepting bribes in exchange for providing contraband to individuals detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn. Joseph pleaded guilty in January 2024 to the charge of accepting bribes as a public official.

Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Ryan T. Geach, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General, Northeast Region (DOJ-OIG), and Christie M. Curtis, Acting Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the sentence.

"Quandelle Joseph put his own interests above the safety of incarcerated individuals and other correction officers at the Metropolitan Detention Center by accepting bribes to smuggle drugs, cell phones and other contraband into the jail he was sworn to protect," stated United States Attorney Peace. "This Office has zero tolerance for corruption in prison facilities and those who abuse the trust placed in them to carry out their duties will find themselves on the wrong side of the bars like this defendant."

"We trust Correctional Officers to carry out their duties with honor and integrity. Joseph did the opposite when he accepted tens of thousands of dollars in bribes in exchange for smuggling dangerous contraband into MDC Brooklyn. Today's sentencing shows that Correctional Officers who commit these selfish crimes will be held accountable," stated DOJ-OIG Special Agent in Charge Geach.

"Quandelle Joseph abused his authority as a former correction officer by supplying inmates with contraband for cash and offering advanced warnings to his clientele to obscure this illicit trade from other guards. His actions not only violated the order and regulation necessary for a secure correctional institution, but also threatened the public's trust in our system. The FBI remains diligent in its pursuit of corrupt public officials who value personal benefit over fulfilling their duty to protect and serve," stated Acting Assistant Director in Charge Curtis.

According to court documents and facts presented at today's sentencing proceeding, Joseph became a correction officer at the MDC in May 2020. During his employment, Joseph accepted tens of thousands of dollars from inmates in exchange for smuggling narcotics, cigarettes, and cell phones into the MDC. In one instance, Joseph accepted bribes to smuggle contraband into the MDC for an inmate, who then sold the contraband widely throughout his unit. Joseph also warned the inmate about upcoming contraband searches at the MDC. For example, on January 26, 2021, Joseph texted an inmate from whom he was taking bribes: "Tighten up search comin clean phones out call logs n text n try to stash it." The next day, Joseph texted the inmate: "keep your phones cleannnnnnnnnn erase texts and call logs every night."

The government's case is being handled by the Office's Public Integrity Section. Assistant United States <_w3a_sdt docpart="09BF8D799217441C973695D094DAD2B9" dropdown="t" id="1719781811"><_w3a_listitem listvalue="Choose an item."> <_w3a_listitem datavalue="Attorney" listvalue="Attorney"> <_w3a_listitem datavalue="Attorneys" listvalue="Attorneys"> Attorneys Philip Pilmar and Sara K. Winik are in charge of the prosecution.

The <_w3a_sdt docpart="C403388DA94F42CC929E35CA9610F76B" dropdown="t" id="1174685880"><_w3a_listitem listvalue="Choose an item."> <_w3a_listitem datavalue="Defendant" listvalue="Defendant"> <_w3a_listitem datavalue="Defendants" listvalue="Defendants"> Defendant:

<_w3a_sdt docpart="BB44FF667B824BE4B107260DF154879A" id="575010685">QUANDELLE JOSEPH
Age: 34<_w3a_sdt docpart="5D2D27689CD54DB5B9BDCFB7C5336004" id="-225534894">
Brooklyn, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. <_w3a_sdt docpart="B3833A327E9149A683020E9AD57212C0" id="-1950002052">23-CR-306 (DLI)

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Updated July 30, 2024