San Quentin Death Row Guard, Tracy Man Charged With Smuggling Contraband

SAN FRANCISCO (AP/CBS13) — A San Quentin State Prison situation defender and 2 others person been charged with a strategy to smuggle contraband compartment phones into California’s decease row, authorities said Wednesday.

Keith Christopher, a 37-year-old corrections serviceman astatine San Quentin, is charged with conspiracy to perpetrate honorable services fraud utilizing interstate wires, the U.S. attorney’s bureau said successful a statement.

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A justice successful San Francisco connected Wednesday appointed a nationalist defender to correspond Christopher and released him connected $50,000 bond, prosecutors said.

Isaiah Wells, from Tracy, Calif., and Tanisa Smith-Symes of Las Vegas, Nevada look the aforesaid charges. Wells besides was released connected enslaved Wednesday portion Smith-Symes had a scheduled tribunal proceeding Thursday successful Las Vegas.

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It wasn’t instantly wide whether they had attorneys to talk for them.

Federal prosecutors accidental that the 3 conspired to smuggle 25 compartment phones into the prison’s East Block, wherever condemned inmates are housed. Authorities allege that Smith-Symes had a narration with a decease enactment inmate who sold the phones for up to $900 each.

“Cell phones make information and information risks for situation employees and different inmates, and authorities instrumentality deems them contraband and prohibits their possession by inmates,” the U.S. attorney’s connection said.

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If convicted, Christopher could look up to 20 years successful situation and a $250,000 fine.