PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA

A corrections officer at the Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center (P.I.C.C), is facing charges for smuggling over $70,000 worth of illegal substances and contraband into the jail for an inmate, in exchange for money.

Fox 29 Philly (https://www.fox29.com/), reported that 33-year old, Haneef Lawton, has been charged with bribery and conspiring to distribute narcotics and cell phones. Acting U.S Attorney, Jennifer Arbittier Williams called the activities of Lawton and his accomplices, a “contraband smuggling scheme.” Lawson’s alleged accomplices were an inmate and his girlfriend. The inmate, 36-year old, Kernard Murray, and his girlfriend, Charene Stallings, were also charged in the contraband smuggling scheme, according to Williams.

According to prosecutors working the case, Lawton agreed to smuggle drugs into the jail for Murray. Stallings was Murray’s eyes and ears on the streets. She allegedly made $11,500 worth of payments to Lawton for acting as their personal drug mule. Prosecutors also said Stallings always paid Lawton via Cash App. Murray would move the product on the inside. Murray charged cash money for his product on the inside, and he also accepted “peer to peer” payments. Those involved Stallings meeting another inmate’s family member or loved one on the outside and getting the money the inmate had promised Murray, on the inside. That right there, was enough for the FEDS to turn this into a conspiracy case. Lawton and Murray are looking at 45-years in prison, apiece. Stallings is looking at the same amount of time, but the Feds also added a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 10-years to life in prison for her part in the conspiracy.