Rikers Guard From Westchester Bribed To Smuggle Drugs Into Jail

MOUNT VERNON, NY — A Westchester. woman has admitted to helping to smuggle narcotics and other contraband into Rikers Island in exchange for cash payments.

Edward Y. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that Ghislaine Barrientos, a former corrections officer, pled guilty on Wednesday to bribery in connection with her participation in a scheme to accept bribes in exchange for smuggling narcotics into Rikers Island. She pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Gregory H. Woods and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 16.

"Ghislaine Barrientos took bribes when working as a corrections officer at Rikers Island," Kim said. "Rikers Island is less safe, for inmates and officers alike, when corrections officers and others in positions of public trust accept bribes to smuggle contraband. We will not tolerate any breach of trust or corruption that jeopardizes the well-being of inmates and staff."

Barrientos conspired with others to smuggle contraband, including cocaine, smokeable synthetic cannabinoids (known as "K2"), and food to inmates housed at the Robert N. Davoren Complex on Rikers Island in exchange for thousands of dollars in bribe payments.

On April 11, 2024, an associate of an inmate, and Barrientos discussed the inmate sending Barrientos a package through a delivery service. Just a few days later, on April 15, surveillance footage showed Barrientos entering the inmate's cell, where surveillance footage could not capture her actions. Two days later, Department of Corrections (DOC) officials searched that cell and recovered sheets of paper that tested positive for the presence of cocaine.

In another incident cited by investigators, on April 24, that same inmate sent Barrientos another package using the delivery service. When Barrientos went to work later that day, a drug-detecting canine alerted for the presence of narcotics. DOC employees searched Barrientos's belongings and found approximately 10 sheets of paper that tested positive for the presence of K2.

In an interview with law enforcement, Barrientos falsely claimed that no inmate had ever asked her to bring them contraband. Law enforcement officers then searched Barrientos's vehicle and recovered additional sheets of paper, as well as about $2,466 in cash.

Barrientos, 37, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit federal program bribery, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

SEE ALSO: Corrections Officer From Westchester Smuggled Drugs Into Rikers: DOJ