Former Inmate, Correctional Officer Sentenced for Smuggling Heroin into FCC Petersburg

RICHMOND, VA—A former inmate and a correctional officer were sentenced this week for conspiring to smuggle heroin in the Federal Correctional Complex in Petersburg, Virginia.

Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; John S. Adams, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Richmond Division; and Gene E. Morrison, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General for the Washington Field Office, made the announcement after the sentencings by United States District Judge John A. Gibney.

Walter Brooks, 57, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced on September 10, 2012, to 20 years in prison following his conviction by a federal jury of conspiring to provide contraband to inmates, conspiracy to distribute heroin, five counts of providing contraband to inmates, and three counts of use of a communication facility to commit a felony.

Evidence at trial showed that beginning in 2008 and continuing until October 2011, Brooks conspired with Keif Jackson, 49, of Dumfries, and others to smuggle heroin into the Federal Correctional Complex in Petersburg. In 2008, Brooks was an inmate at FCC Petersburg when he recruited correctional officer Keif Jackson to smuggle heroin to him in the prison. At Brooks’ request, Jackson contacted acquaintances of Brooks and, on multiple occasions, met with them to obtain heroin. He then smuggled the drugs into the prison.

In October 2010, Brooks was released from FCC Petersburg. At that time, he began to supply heroin directly to Jackson to smuggle into the prison. Approximately one year later, on October 10, 2011, Jackson was stopped by law enforcement on his way to work. During a search of his vehicle, officers recovered a package containing heroin.

On March 26, 2012, Jackson entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute heroin. He was sentenced on September 13, 2012, to 12 months in prison.

The case was investigated by the FBI’s Richmond Field Office and the United States Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Roderick C. Young prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.