TAMPA, Fla. — A former Florida correctional officer pleaded guilty in federal court to taking a bribe to smuggle a cellphone into a detention facility holding federal inmates, prosecutors announced.
Justin Harvey, 50, of Inverness, faces up to 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to acceptance of a bribe by a public official, according to United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. A date for his sentencing has not been set.
Court documents show that Harvey worked as an officer at the Citrus County Detention Facility, a venue that houses federal inmates awaiting trial, sentencing, or official designation to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility.
According to his plea agreement, Harvey arranged to bring a cellphone inside for an inmate in exchange for a $4,000 cash payment. To obtain the device and payment, Harvey met with an individual he believed was an associate of the inmate. The contact was actually an undercover law enforcement agent, who handed over the phone alongside $4,000 in cash.
Harvey wrapped the phone in plastic wrap, carried it into the detention center, and delivered it to the inmate. Law enforcement officials later retrieved the phone from the inmate and analyzed the item, discovering Harvey’s fingerprints on the tape used to seal the packaging.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, Harvey agreed to forfeit the $4,000 he received as part of the scheme.
Official statements noted that bringing contraband like cellphones into detention centers poses security risks to individuals both inside and outside the facility.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Buchanan is prosecuting the case, with Assistant U.S. Attorney James A. Muench handling the financial forfeiture.
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