Federal Correctional Officer Arrested and Charged with Bribery Conspiracy

MIAMI - Victor Manuel DeJesus, 47, of Miami-Dade County, who is a correctional officer at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Miami, has been arrested on charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States and commit bribery, bribery, and other offenses in connection with a scheme to provide contraband items to inmates at the federal prison.

Ariana Fajardo Orshan, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, FBI’s Miami Field Office, made the announcement.

A 14-count indictment, filed in the Southern District of Florida, charges DeJesus and others with conspiring to bribe and bribing DeJesus with money in exchange for providing contraband to inmates within FCI-Miami.  According to the indictment, from at least as early as December 2018 through September 2019, inmates and those acting on their behalf supplied DeJesus with bribe payments.  DeJesus then deposited these monies in his personal bank account. In exchange for these bribe payments, the indictment alleges DeJesus used his official position to bring in prohibited items into the prison. The indictment further alleges that DeJesus had inmate co-conspirators distribute the contraband in FCI-Miami.

DeJesus will appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lauren F. Louis at 1:30 p.m. today. (Case No. 19CR20660)

An indictment contains only allegations. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan commended the investigatory efforts of the FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and FCI-Miami in this matter.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alejandra L. López.