Chesco Prison Officer Charged With Selling Drugs In County Jail

CHESTER COUNTY, PA — A Chester County correctional officer is accused of smuggling and distributing illegal drugs from June to September in the Chester County Prison in Pocopson Township, county detectives said.

Antoine Williams, 27, of Philadelphia, is free on $150,000 bail after being arraigned Tuesday before District Judge James Kovaleski on charges of delivering controlled substances and related offenses.

County detectives said Williams sold Suboxone and other illegal substances to inmates and used nine cash apps to receive payments ranging from $50 to $400.

Chester County Acting Warden Howard Holland said prison procedures led to the discovery of the distribution of illegal drugs. Holland said the case was turned over to the Chester County detectives for investigation.

"The defendant was hired as a correctional officer to uphold the law and keep order in the prison, but he completely violated his position of authority," District Attorney Deb Ryan said. “No one is above the law. My office will hold him accountable for his unlawful actions.”

According to the police complaint:

Investigators said on June 25 an inmate told prison staffers that Williams had been bringing drugs into the prison hidden in small trash bag rolls.

An inmate said his former cellmate, Jonathan Aguilera, purchased Suboxone from Williams on a cash app.

Subsequently, authorities searched the prison and found a roll of small trash bags in Aguilera’s cell. Aguilera submitted a urine sample that tested positive for Suboxone.

Aguilera said that he purchased Suboxone for $50 per strip from Williams between April and June 2023. He also purchased marijuana and Percocet.

A second inmate informed authorities that Williams uses Aguilera to distribute Suboxone, tobacco, and K-2 to inmates. K-2 is a synthetic designer drug that is intended to mimic THC.