A former corrections officer from Cleveland has been sentenced to 30 months in prison for accepting a bribe to smuggle contraband into the Trumbull Correctional Institution (TCI) in Leavittsburg, Ohio. James P. Jackson, 40, received his sentence from U.S. District Judge Dan Aaron Polster on December 4 after pleading guilty in July to Hobbs Act extortion under color of official right.
Jackson worked at TCI between 2022 and 2024, first as a corrections officer and later as a general maintenance worker. His position gave him access to restricted areas of the prison where he regularly interacted with inmates. According to court documents, Jackson communicated with a female associate of an inmate and agreed to deliver packages inside the facility in exchange for payment.
Authorities said Jackson accepted $1,000 upfront and was promised another $1,000 after delivering the contraband. When he attempted to bring the packages into TCI, law enforcement intercepted him. The investigation found that the packages contained nearly 98 grams of methamphetamine, over 207 grams of synthetic cannabinoid, about 33 grams of phencyclidine (PCP), other drugs, a cellphone, and SIM cards.
The FBI Cleveland Division led the investigation along with support from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Trumbull Correctional Institutions-Office of Investigations, Ohio State Highway Patrol-Office of Criminal Investigations Prison Drug Unit, and Investigative Services for the Warren District.
Assistant United States Attorney Chelsea S. Rice prosecuted the case for the Northern District of Ohio.
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