The Chester County District Attorney's Office made an official announcement regarding the apprehension of a correctional officer implicated in the smuggling and distribution of illicit substances within the confines of Chester County Prison, where he was employed.
On Tuesday, authorities took into custody Antoine Williams, a 27-year-old, charging him with eight counts of felony possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, eight counts of dealing in proceeds of an unlawful activity, and associated offenses.
The arrest followed an incident on June 25, 2023, when an inmate at the prison reported that the defendant had been covertly bringing drugs into the facility by concealing them within small rolls of trash bags. The inmate stated that his former cellmate, Jonathan Aguilera, had received suboxone from Williams and was compensated through Cash App by another individual.
Later that day, a comprehensive search of Chester County Prison's L-block took place. During the search, officers discovered a roll of small trash bags in Aguilera's cell, and his urine sample tested positive for buprenorphine, commonly known as suboxone.
On June 27, 2023, a prison lieutenant spoke with a second inmate who revealed that the defendant had been distributing Suboxone, tobacco, and K-2 to inmates on L-block. The substances were allegedly concealed in a glove or small dark trash bags. Inmate #2 also asserted that Williams was receiving payment via Cash App and used Aguilera as an intermediary to supply illegal substances to other prisoners.
A few days later, on June 30, 2023, detectives examined the prison's security camera footage, which appeared to show Williams in the office area with what seemed to be a roll of toilet paper and trash bags. In the video, the defendant was observed placing the roll of trash bags on the L-block cell bars.
Subsequently, on July 10, 2023, detectives met with Aguilera, who disclosed that Williams had brought suboxone, marijuana, and percocet into the prison on multiple occasions. Aguilera claimed to have purchased Suboxone from Williams between April 2023 and June 2023, with Williams charging him $50.00 per strip of suboxone.
Payment for the illegal drug was sent via Cash App by one of Aguilera's relatives.
Two months later, detectives obtained records indicating that nine different Cash App accounts were linked to the defendant, with the account username registered under the name Antoine Williams. Between June 5, 2023, and June 23, 2023, multiple payments were made between Aguilera's relative and the defendant's associates, ranging from $50.00 to $400.00.
District Attorney Deb Ryan remarked, "The defendant was hired as a correctional officer to uphold the law and maintain order in the prison, but he flagrantly violated his position of authority. No one is above the law, and my office is committed to holding him accountable for his unlawful actions."
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for October 18, 2023, with bail set at $150,000 unsecured by Magisterial District Judge Kovaleski.
For those grappling with substance use disorders or seeking assistance, it's advisable to contact law enforcement. The Law Enforcement Treatment Initiative (LETI) offers individuals with substance use issues a means to access treatment at no cost with the assistance of local police.
Comments
Post a Comment