An Anamosa, Iowa man who used to work as a corrections officer has been sentenced to serve more than four years in prison.
Garrett Barton, now 29-years-old, admitted to accepting bribes and illegally using drugs during a time when he was issued assault rifles to use at the Anamosa State Penitentiary, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
In October of 2015, Barton pleaded guilty to accusations against him, including one count of accepting bribes to smuggle contraband into a prison, known as “Hobbs Act Extortion,” the statement said. He also pleaded guilty to one count of being an unlawful drug user in possession of firearms.
Prosecutors say that in a plea agreement, Barton admitted that in November of 2014, he accepted money from an inmate’s girlfriend to bring in two cell phones for inmates to use. Barton also admitted that he was an unlawful drug user, brought in controlled substances for inmates and would also sell and trade controlled substances with other officers.
Barton was employed at the penitentiary from July of 2010 until February of 2015.
“This defendant chose to place his own greed above the safety of other Iowa Department of Corrections employees as well as the public he was sworn to protect,” said U.S. Attorney Kevin W. Techau. “Those who agree to smuggle contraband into federal and state prisons can expect to join the inmates from whom they are attempting to profit.”
After Barton was sentenced, Anamosa State Penitentiary Warden William Sperfslage said that Barton’s actions were not a reflection of how the current staff performs their duties at the penitentiary.
“Mr. Barton failed in his mission to the citizens of Iowa that he was hired to protect,” Sperfslage said. “He also placed his coworkers in danger by providing contraband to offenders. In doing so, we believe it very appropriate that he is now sentenced to a period of incarceration in a correctional facility.”
Barton was sentenced to four years and nine months in prison and was fined $7,500, the statement said. In addition, Barton had to pay a $200 special assessment fee and will be on supervised release for three years once he gets out of prison.
He had faced a potential 30 years in prison, eight years of supervised release, and a $500,000 fine.
Barton was set to begin his sentence on February 24.
