Former Department of Corrections Nurse Sentenced for Smuggling Drugs into Correctional Facility

BOSTON – A former MCI-Cedar Junction nurse was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with smuggling drugs into the facility.    

Christine Ramos, 38, of Walpole, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. to two years of probation and ordered to pay a fine of $2,000. In July 2018, Ramos was charged by Information with conspiracy to distribute Suboxone and Alprazolam.

According to the court documents, Ramos was involved in a romantic relationship with Chad Connors, an inmate at MCI-Cedar Junction in South Walpole. At Connors’ request, Ramos agreed to smuggle contraband, including controlled substances, into MCI-CJ. In order to do this, Ramos opened two Post Office Boxes through  third parties. Connors sent letters and money to Ramos at these P.O. Boxes. Connors’ co-defendant, William Guillemette, directed his wife, Lisa, and mother, Margaret, to obtain and send Suboxone and Alprazolam to the P.O. Boxes. Ramos subsequently smuggled the drugs into the facility and delivered them to Connors. William Guillemette and, allegedly, Connors, distributed the drugs to other inmates, who sent checks to Lisa and Margaret Guillemette as payment for the drugs.

According to court documents, Suboxone and Alprazolam are Schedule III and Schedule IV controlled substances, respectively.  

William Guillemette and Margaret Guillemette previously pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugenia Carris of Lelling’s Public Corruption and Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.