United States Attorney
Northern District of Texas

1100 Commerce St., 3rd Fl.
Dallas, Texas 75242-1699

Telephone (214) 659-8600
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FEDERAL JURY CONVICTS FCI SEAGOVILLE INMATE AND GIRLFRIEND IN SCHEME TO SMUGGLE DRUGS INTO PRISON

DALLAS — Following a week and a half-long jury trial in U.S. District Judge David C. Godbey’s court, a jury convicted Edmond Wright and his girlfriend, Sherry Matthews, on all charges alleged in a federal criminal indictment, announced U.S. Attorney Richard B. Roper of the Northern District of Texas.

Edmond Wright, 34, and Sherry Mathews, 42, both of Fort Worth, Texas, were each convicted on one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. Wright was also convicted on one count of attempting to possess contraband in prison, and Matthews was convicted on one count of attempting to provide contraband in prison. Wright faces a maximum statutory sentence of up to life in prison, and Mathews faces a maximum statutory sentence of forty years. They are scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Godbey on July 16, 2007.

The trial evidence showed that while Wright was an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institute (FCI) Seagoville from March 2005 until September 2005, he used his position in the Education Department to smuggle methamphetamine into the prison using the Inter-Library Loan Program, which allowed inmates to request specific books from local libraries, including the Dallas Public Library. Wright, with the help of his girlfriend, Sherry Mathews, and other inmates and their family members, intended to sell drugs while incarcerated.

U.S. Attorney Roper praised the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Suzanna Etessam and Keith Robinson.

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