Former Fulton County Detention Officer Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Public Corruption and Drug Trafficking

Jailer Accepted Bribes to Distribute Multiple Kilos of Cocaine

ATLANTA—BRIAN SHELBY ANTHONY, 31, of Atlanta was sentenced today by United States District Judge Steve C. Jones to serve 10 years in federal prison on charges of attempted possession with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana and to accepting bribes of more than $26,000 to facilitate the distribution of drugs inside the county jail and at other locations in the Atlanta metropolitan area.

United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said, “This former law enforcement officer sold his badge over and over again without any regard for his oath of office or the public’s safety. He took advantage of his position to make money accepting bribes to deliver marijuana and other contraband to inmates and to put cocaine on the streets of Atlanta. This repeated criminal activity is the opposite of what we expect from our police officers, most of whom would never trade the public’s trust for a payoff.”

Brian D. Lamkin, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Atlanta Field Office, stated, “Today’s sentencing helps the FBI convey the message that this type of criminal activity will not be tolerated. While former Fulton County Detention Officer Anthony’s main motivation may have been greed, his illegal actions also compromised the safety and integrity of the detention facility and those within it, to include his fellow officers.”

Fulton County Sheriff Theodore “Ted” Jackson said, “The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office continues to offer full cooperation to the FBI regarding investigations that included Mr. Anthony. The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office appreciates the dedication of the United States Attorney’s Office and the FBI as they pursue corruption cases.”

ANTHONY was sentenced to 10 years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release. ANTHONY was convicted of these charges on January 20, 2012 upon his plea of guilty.

According to United States Attorney Yates, the charges, and other information presented in court, on February 18, 2011, ANTHONY, while employed as a detention officer at the Fulton County Jail, accepted $950 from an individual working with the FBI in an undercover capacity to deliver an ounce of a material he believed to be marijuana, four cellular telephones, and cigarettes to a specific inmate inside the jail. Again, on April 19, 2011, ANTHONY accepted $1,000 to deliver another ounce of material he believed to be marijuana, three cellular telephones, and cigarettes to the same inmate. On each occasion, after accepting the bribes, ANTHONY made the deliveries to the inmate as planned. The contraband was then collected by investigators.

In the weeks between April 19, 2011 and May 4, 2011, an FBI undercover agent spoke with ANTHONY about protecting drug deals outside of the jail. ANTHONY expressed interest and agreed to provide protection for cocaine deliveries. On three occasions between May 4, 2011 and June 2, 2011, ANTHONY, dressed in his Fulton County Sheriff’s Office uniform, provided protection for undercover transactions which he believed to be drug deals involving multiple kilograms of cocaine. The transactions occurred in Atlanta, Lawrenceville, and Norcross. ANTHONY agreed to protect each drug deal in exchange for a cash payment and accepted three bribes totaling $25,000.

ANTHONY is one of four Fulton County law enforcement officers recently convicted in federal court for similar conduct.

■On November 29, 2011, former Detention Officer Akil Scott, 32, of Atlanta, pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted possession with the intent to distribute cocaine inside the county jail and two counts of extortion under color of official right for accepting $650 to smuggle drugs into the jail. Scott is scheduled to be sentenced by United States District Judge Timothy C. Batten, Sr. on March 30, 2012.

■On November 8, 2011, former Deputy Sheriff Marvie Trevino Dingle, Jr., 34, of Lithonia, Georgia, pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted possession with the intent to distribute cocaine inside and outside the county jail and two counts of extortion under color of official right for accepting more than $2,000 to smuggle drugs into the jail and to protect a drug transaction outside of the jail. Dingle is scheduled to be sentenced by United States District Judge Amy Totenberg on April 3, 2012.

■On October 24, 2011, former Detention Officer Derick Deshun Frazier, 32, of Stockbridge, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of extortion under color of official right for accepting $300 to smuggle mobile telephones into the county jail. On January 11, 2012, Frazier was sentenced by United States District Judge Orinda D. Evans to a six-month term of imprisonment to be followed by a two-year period of supervised release.

These cases were investigated by special agents of the FBI.

Assistant United States Attorney Brent Alan Gray prosecuted these cases.