Three Charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Narcotics in Prison Following the Death of USP Atwater Staff

FRESNO, Calif. - An investigation into the death of a correctional officer led to the arrests of three defendants today who are charged by criminal complaint with conspiring to distribute controlled substances and introducing narcotic drugs to an inmate at the U.S. Penitentiary in Atwater, California, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, between July 15, 2024, and Aug. 9, 2024, Jamar Jones, 35, an inmate at USP Atwater; Stephanie Ferreira, 35, of Evansville, Indiana; and Jermen Rudd III, 37, of Wentzville, Missouri, conspired to introduce narcotics into USP Atwater for Jones to sell. As part of that scheme, Jones and Ferreira had Rudd mail a letter laced with narcotics to Jones that was fraudulently labeled as legal mail.

On Aug. 9, 2024, a correctional officer at USP Atwater opened that letter and minutes later began to feel ill. After evaluation by medical staff, he was subsequently taken to the hospital where he passed away. Another correctional officer also felt ill after coming into contact with the narcotics-laced letter but recovered.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of California also received assistance from the U.S. Attorney's Offices in the Eastern District of Missouri and the Southern District of Indiana. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Veneman-Hughes is prosecuting the case.

Following the arrests this morning, Ferreira is set to be arraigned on the complaint in the Southern District of Indiana, while Rudd will be arraigned on the complaint in the Eastern District of Missouri. Jones will appear next week in court in Fresno for his initial appearance.

If convicted of conspiracy to distribute and distribution of a controlled substance, Jones and Rudd face a maximum of 30 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. If Jones is convicted of being an inmate obtaining or attempting to obtain narcotic drug, he faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. Ferreira, if convicted of conspiracy to distribute and distribution of a controlled substance, faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. If convicted of providing or attempting to provide an inmate with a narcotic drug, Ferreira and Rudd face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.