Three Former Rikers Island Guards Among Five Ex-Employees Charged in Massive Smuggling Scheme
Corruption charges against three former guards and two other former employees at New York City’s Rikers Island jail complex were continued on May 9, 2024, a week after a massive stash of contraband was uncovered at the lockup— including cellphones, ceramic blades, tobacco, marijuana and cocaine, as well as oxycodone, fentanyl-soaked papers and “K2” and “K3” synthetic cannabinoids—and prosecutors chased more smuggling suspects.
Calling the stash “better stocked than a trap house,” former city Department of Correction (DOC) Deputy Commissioner Serena Townsend found it “hard to believe these items would not get flagged through the mail.” Rather, she said it was “far more likely” that staff smuggled it in.
The five former staffers had been charged in federal court for the Southern District of New York on April 9, 2024, with conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. One of them, former guard Carlos Rivera, 27, faces another 20 years for an additional charge of conspiracy to distribute narcotics and controlled substances. He admitted to DOC investigators to taking $500 in bribes via Cash App between December 2021 and February 2022 in exchange for muling contraband to an unnamed detainee in the North Infirmary Command (NIC) from unidentified associates in the Bronx. See: United States v. Rivera, USDC (S.D.N.Y.), Case No. 1:24-mj-01378.
Another former guard, Chantal de los Santos, 30, allegedly co-opted DOC Program Counselor Shanequa Washington, 39, and contractor Kenneth Webster, 42, into a scheme to smuggle more contraband to unnamed detainees at Anna M. Kross Center—including one that de los Santos was romantically involved with. In exchange, Washington allegedly took bribes totaling at least $10,500, plus at least $5,000 more to Webster, between March and April 2022. De los Santos and Washington were also charged with conspiracy to commit bribery, which carries a maximum five-year prison term. See: United States v. De Los Santos, USDC (S.D.N.Y.), Case No. 1:24-mj-01379.
A third former guard, Stephanie Davila, 30, allegedly conspired with detainee Kristopher Francisco, 29, to bribe another unnamed guard to smuggle drugs between July and August 2021. Davila and Francisco were also charged with conspiracy to commit bribery and distribute narcotics and controlled substances. See: United States v. Davila, USDC (S.D.N.Y.), Case No. 1:24-mj-01377.
Still another guard, Marc Johnson, was suspended in March 2024 after watches, a cellphone and a miniature bottle of Jack Daniels whiskey were found in a metal box in NIC. No charges against him were announced.
Additional sources: New York Daily News, New York Times
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