Four former corrections officers face drug charges, and one was accused of taking money to smuggle cell phones for inmates at the state penitentiary in Anamosa, Iowa.
The four corrections officers were accused of being unlawful drug users in possession of firearms when they served guard tower duty, while armed with AR-15 assault rifles, at the prison, according to a statement from the Department of Justice.
"Prison safety depends on prison personnel acting with honesty and integrity...smuggling drugs and other contraband to inmates undermine that safety and make an inherently dangerous environment more dangerous," said U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa Kevin Techau.
Garrett Barton, 29, from Anamosa, was charged with one count of "Hobbs Act extortion," which is taking money to smuggle cell phones into the prison for inmate use, the DOJ statement said. Barton was also accused of possessing prescription controlled substances not prescribed to him, and of trading controlled substances with other corrections officers.
Ethan Darrow, 29, from Anamosa, pleaded guilty October 5 to being an unlawful drug user in possession of firearms. Investigators said Darrow used and traded drugs with Barton and other corrections officers, including 28-year-old Seth Vogel.
Vogel, from Marion, agreed to plead guilty to state charges of possessing controlled substances, the DOJ statement said.
Marques Maryland, 38, of Cedar Rapids, also agreed to plead guilty to state charges of possessing controlled substances; he was accused of getting marijuana from a fifth man charged in the case, 29-year-old Samuel Foster of North Liberty.
Investigators said Foster was Barton's source for getting drugs, and that they found 530 grams of marijuana, 156 hydromorphone pills, a stolen gun and drug paraphernalia in Foster's home and garage. The found another 123 grams of marijuana and a stolen .22 caliber rifle when they searched Foster's storage garage in Cedar Rapids. Foster did not work at the prison; he was also charged with being an unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm.
Barton was expected to plead guilty to the drug charge and extortion charge October 13, 2015. He faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, eight years of supervised release, and a $500,000 fine. Darrow remained free on bond until he is sentenced, and he faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Maryland and Vogel will plead guilty to their charges in circuit court, and they face a maximum state sentence of six months in prison. Foster remained in jail and his case was going to a federal grand jury.