State Prison Inmate Convicted For Having Contraband Cellphone

KINGSTON, NY — A contraband phone bought an inmate extra time behind bars, according to prosecutors.

The Ulster County District Attorney's Office said that 35-year-old Frederick Grace pleaded guilty last week to first degree promoting prison contraband. His sentencing is scheduled for March 3.

Prosecutors say on December 5, 2023, Grace, who was serving a sentence at Eastern Correctional Facility, a state prison located in Napanoch, was found to be in possession of a cellphone, which he tried to get rid of during a strip search.

After the cellphone was recovered, a "shank" weapon was also found during a search of his prison cell, according to prison officials. The NYS Department of Corrections Office of Special Investigations conducted a search of the cellphone and determined that Grace was the owner of the phone.

The DA's Office says that the possession of cellphones in a prison is especially dangerous. Since communications cannot be monitored, they may promote conspiracies and enhance the possibility of escapes and violence. Following an increase in cellphones recovered on inmates in Ulster County, the DA's Office says it is committed to prosecuting them to assure the safety of corrections employees and inmates.

Grace's current plea agreement calls for a sentence of three-and-a-half to seven years in prison, which must run consecutive to his current sentence under the law, according to the DA's Office.