A former Corrections Officer of FCI-Schuylkill near Minersville has been charged for smuggling tobacco into the federal prison near Minersville.The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Paul Taylor, age 53, of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, a former BOP Correctional Officer at the Federal Correctional Institute Schuylkill (FCI Schuylkill), Schuylkill, Pennsylvania, was charged on June 9, 2020, in a criminal information with bribery and corruption.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the criminal information alleges that between 2011 and 2016, Taylor smuggled tobacco into FCI Schuylkill while employed as a Correctional Officer, and provided the contraband to prisoners in exchange for money.
The investigation was conducted by special agents of the Department of Justice Office of Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd K. Hinkley.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 15 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant’s educational, vocational, and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.