The troubled Riker’s Island Prison is in the news once again for corrupt jail workers who were busted recently. This time, authorities arrested 17 people, including two corrections officers, a Rikers Island cook and six inmates for conspiring to smuggle contraband into the facilities. The officers and staff worked with inmates to bring in scalpels, narcotics and synthetic marijuana.
One corrections officer identified as Kevin McCoy, 31, known to inmates as “The Plug” allegedly received around $10,000 and smuggled in shivs wrapped in duct tape,and the drug K2 for several months before he was busted with seven shanks hidden in his clothing. McCoy would receive money from the family members of inmates to smuggle in the goods. A cook at the facility identified as Darnell Wilson, 27, was arrested after he admitted to investigators that he was taking $200 a week in bribes to bring in tobacco and synthetic marijuana to inmates. Jail guard Mohammad Sufian, 25, was arrested for allegedly taking $1,000 to also smuggle in tobacco to the inmates.
The indictments total 84 criminal counts and include friends and family members of the corrections officers as well as inmates.
The prison has been under increased scrutiny because of a string of sexual misconduct issues involving female guards and prisoners, as well as an increase in the smuggling of contraband and weapons.The facility has recovered 2,780 knives and other weapons between July 2015 and May 2016.
Riker’s Island is considered among the most dangerous prisons in New York and has been the target of several investigations, not only for smuggling, but also for alleged abuse of prisoners by jail personnel. Officials at the prison have increased the number of searches of visitors and guards that enter the facility in an attempt to improve the security and safety of corrections officers and inmates.
