A former corrections officer was sentenced to three years in state prison for smuggling cellphones into the Atlantic County Justice Facility in exchange for money, prosecutors say.
They say 35-year-old Gerald Oquendo, of Mays Landing, conspired with an inmate and their two family members. All three were recorded on video surveillance discussing the crime, according to officials. Oquendo was also captured bringing an object to the inmate.
Prosecutor William Reynolds says Oquendo “jeopardized the safety and security of the staff and inmates when he violated his oath of office and smuggled cellular devices. Reynolds says this “created the possibility that inmates could engage in criminal activity from inside the walls of an otherwise secure facility.”
Oquendo was charged with official misconduct. He won't be eligible for parole for two years.