The thin blue line at SCI Fayette has been shaken following a major investigation into a drug trafficking ring allegedly run by the very people paid to keep order.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced Monday that two corrections officers and a former inmate are facing serious felony charges for smuggling narcotics into the state prison.
Beau Angelo, 37, and Charity Thompson, 40, both former officers at the facility, surrendered to authorities Monday morning. Investigators say the pair teamed up with 33-year-old Vadol Lewis—a man who once served time at SCI Fayette—to run a steady supply of K2 and Suboxone behind bars.
The scheme reportedly unraveled in late 2024 after an 18-month collaborative effort between the Pennsylvania State Police and the Department of Corrections.
The logistics of the operation were as bold as they were simple. According to grand jury testimony, Lewis would ship the drugs to the officers after his release from prison.
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Angelo and Thompson then allegedly carried the substances onto the grounds on their person, bypassing the security measures they were sworn to uphold. Once inside, the drugs were distributed to inmates, with payments flowing back to the trio through digital apps like CashApp.
Search warrants executed at the defendants’ homes and a sweep of prison cells turned up physical evidence of the trafficking. Major Serell C. Ulrich of the State Police noted that this type of activity creates a powder keg of danger for both staff and the incarcerated population.
“This case involves a betrayal of sworn oaths to protect the public,” Attorney General Sunday stated. He noted that the conduct directly threatens the public’s confidence in law enforcement.
While Angelo and Thompson have been released on $50,000 unsecured bail, they are no longer employed by the state. Lewis remains behind bars in Allegheny County on unrelated charges.
All three now face counts of corrupt organizations, conspiracy, and delivery of a controlled substance. As the Drug Strike Force Section prepares its case, the legal reminder remains: these charges are currently allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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