Former California corrections officer accused of smuggling cellphones into state facility
A former California correction officer is accused of accepting bribes by smuggling cell phones into a facility.
In a statement from the U.S. Dept. of Justice on Thursday, Stephen Joseph Crittenden, 43, of Suisun City, has been indicted on two counts of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds. According to court documents, in 2021 and 2022, Crittenden was working as a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) correctional officer at the California Medical Facility in Vacaville when he allegedly accepted bribes to smuggle cellphones into the facility.
The criminal complaint doesn't detail how many phones were smuggled into the facility, which, at one time, also housed notorious hippie cult leader Charles Manson. If convicted, Crittenden faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Crittenden is currently being held, without bail, at the Sacramento County Jail. His next court appearance is not listed.
The FBI and CDCR worked in tandem on the investigation, the department says.