DOJ Press Release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, June 9, 2022

Four Former Prison Officials Sentenced for Smuggling Contraband to Federal Inmates

Four former prison officials have been sentenced to prison for smuggling drugs and other contraband into Leavenworth Detention Center (Leavenworth), a privately run, maximum-security federal prison in Kansas.

Janna Grier, 36, of Horton, Kansas, was sentenced to two years in prison today for conspiracy to solicit bribes and provide contraband to inmates of a federal prison. According to court documents, Grier used her position as a correctional officer at Leavenworth to smuggle contraband into the prison and also solicited other prison officials to use their positions to smuggle contraband into Leavenworth.

Jeane Arnette, 61, of Leavenworth, was sentenced to six months in prison today for conspiracy to provide contraband to inmates of a federal prison. According to court documents, Arnette used her position as a nurse at Leavenworth to smuggle contraband — including cell phones — into the prison.

Jacqueline Sifuentes, 26, of Laredo, Texas, and Cheyonte Harris, 29, of Raytown, Missouri, each used their position as a correctional officer at Leavenworth to smuggle contraband — including methamphetamine, marijuana, and tobacco — into the prison in exchange for bribes from inmates and their associates. Sifuentes was recently sentenced to 14 months in prison, and Harris was recently sentenced to 20 months in prison.

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Special Agent in Charge William J. Hannah of the Department of Justice Office of Inspector General (DOJ-OIG) Chicago Field Office, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Special Agent in Charge Charles A. Dayoub of the FBI’s Kansas City Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI and DOJ-OIG investigated the cases.

Trial Attorneys Rebecca M. Schuman, Jacob R. Steiner, and Lauren Castaldi of the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section prosecuted the cases.

The cases are part of the Justice Department’s ongoing efforts to combat prison corruption. In addition to the above matters, the Public Integrity Section recently obtained convictions against two other former Leavenworth Detention Center correctional officers for similar conduct. See United States v. Willie Golden, Case No. 2:21-cr-20061 (D. Kan.); and United States v. Angelica Grant, Case No. 2:22-cr-20010 (D. Kan.). Separately, the Public Integrity Section has obtained convictions against four former North Carolina prison officials who smuggled contraband, including narcotics, into a state facility in exchange for bribes. See United States v. Ollie Rose, III, Case No. 4:20-CR-96 (E.D.N.C.); United States v. Kenneth Farr, Case No. 4:21-CR-9 (E.D.N.C.); United States v. Warren Reed, Case No. 4:21-CR-36 (E.D.N.C.); and United States v. Jeremy Chambers, Case No. 4:21-CR-38 (E.D.N.C.).