A correctional officer who supplied drugs, tobacco, cell phones and even guns to inmates at Montreal’s Rivière-des-Prairies detention center eventually confessed.
• Also read: Officer charged with drug smuggling
“Yes,” said Fania Jean-Charles simply, head bowed, when asked at the Montreal courthouse this Thursday if she pleads guilty to breach of trust, conspiracy to distribute cannabis and illegal possession of the drug.
Jean-Charles, 39, committed her offense in early 2021. At that time she had worked as a prison guard for 13 years. However, to put a few bucks in her pocket, she had agreed to supply prohibited equipment to an entire wing of the detention center.
“She will bring items to inmates under the pretense of a shortage of food, using brown paper bags, modified soda cans or Pringles can-style containers,” explained the Crown’s Me Sara Hennigsson.
Blades too
Only the agent’s little game didn’t go unnoticed by her colleagues, who had repeatedly noticed the smell of cannabis, often upon arrival. Jean-Charles was also seen several times walking back and forth in the problem area, according to the summary of the facts.
The case was finally settled on March 5, 2021, when she was spotted dropping a brown bag in front of a sliding door on an entire wing of the prison. The guards quickly confiscated the bag, which contained 139g of cannabis, 104g of tobacco, as well as three cell phones, five knife blades and lighters.
A search of his home found 228g of compressed cannabis, tobacco and other items, suggesting it was an order for later delivery.
For $5000
Jean-Charles, who had raised $5,000 for her supplies, which threatened security at the detention center, was quickly released and also charged with a felony. And rather than face trial, she finally chose Thursday to admit her wrongdoing.
“His rehabilitation has progressed well despite a difficult time [à la suite de son arrestation] It has preserved jobs,” said Defense’s Me Valérie Acosta.
Jean-Charles will appear in court again in the coming months to present the arguments of the parties on the sentence that is to be imposed on him. Until then, she will meet experts who will draw a portrait of her to explain the reasons that led her to commit her crimes.
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