Norfolk Corrections Officer Admits To Smuggling Drugs To Inmate

NORFOLK, MA — A Pawtucket man who worked as a corrections officer at the Massachusetts Correctional Institute facility in Norfolk (MCI-Norfolk) admitted that he smuggle Suboxone strips into the facility for an inmate.

William Holts, 51, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Boston to conspiracy to possess a controlled substance. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 17, according to the U.S. Attorney's office.

Around April 30, Holts told an inmate, for whom he had smuggled other contraband, that he was willing to smuggle drugs into the prison in exchange for cash. In a series of recorded calls, Holts arranged to meet with a source outside the correctional facility to get the cash and obtain drugs to be smuggled in. Holts agreed to bring in over 100 Suboxone strips in exchange for $2,000 in cash, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney's office.

Suboxone is used to treat heroin addiction, but it can be abused to get high. It is coveted contraband in prisons across the nation and particularly in New England. Suboxone strips, which dissolve under the tongue, may be tucked behind envelope seams and stamps, the U.S. Attorney's office said.

Holts faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of probation, and a $500,000 fine.

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