Ex-Corrections Officer Smuggled Drugs Into Prison: Feds

ROME, GA — A former Georgia corrections officer has been arraigned on federal charges in connection to allegations he smuggled drugs, alcohol and cellphones into Hays State Prison, the U.S. District Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia. Mark Edward Jeffrey, a Fairmount resident, has been charged by the feds with possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.

“Jeffery failed to uphold his duty as a correctional officer when he allegedly smuggled illegal contraband into prison,” said U.S. Attorney Bjay Pak. “Correctional officers who smuggle contraband into prisons not only betray the institutions they protect, but also jeopardize the safety of fellow correctional officers and inmates.”

According to federal prosecutors, Jeffrey was a corrections officer at Hays State Prison, located in the northwest Georgia town of Trion. One of his colleagues, another corrections officer, saw a large, rectangular-shaped object wrapped in black electrical tape hidden inside Jeffrey's beverage container.

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That officer informed a supervisor about the object and later that day, Jeffrey's belongings were searched and unearthed a glass pipe, four cellular phone chargers, four smartphones, two bags containing 190 suspected ecstasy pills, a plastic bag with methamphetamine, and a water bottle with alcohol, prosecutors said.

Jeffery, 33, was indicted Oct. 2 by a federal grand jury. This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Georgia Department of Corrections, and Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Brock Brockington is prosecuting the case.

“We are committed to ridding our prisons of individuals who bring discredit to the badge, and we are proud of those officers who work with integrity and vigilance in stopping the introduction of contraband into our facilities,” said GDC Commissioner Gregory C. Dozier. “Our appreciation for the continued support of our federal law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office is steadfast, as they help ensure that justice is served on those who choose a path of dishonor.”

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