Former Bastrop Federal Prison Pharmacy Technician and Two Inmates Sentenced to Federal Prison on Bribery Charge

In Austin, a former Bastrop federal prison pharmacy technician was sentenced to federal prison for accepting bribes to smuggle contraband into the facility announced Acting United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr.

This morning, United States District Judge Sam Sparks sentenced 26-year-old Eric Renaldo Tellez of Taylor, TX, to 12 months plus one day in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release.  Judge Sparks also sentenced FCI-Bastrop inmates 27-year-old Shanon E. Frank and 25–year-old Mattheu Ellis Jones to 18 months and 15 months incarceration followed by three years of supervised release, respectively, for their roles in the bribery scheme.

In May 2015, Tellez pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of a bribe by a public official; Frank and Jones, one count of conspiracy to bribe a public official.  According to court records, Frank and Jones admitted to bribing Tellez to smuggle contraband into FCI-Bastrop from June 2014 to February 2015.  The smuggled contraband included Casio G-Shock watches, creatine, nutritional supplements and muscle shirts. Tellez, admittedly, collected as much as $2,000 in bribes as a result of the scheme.

The case resulted from an investigation by the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service and the Taylor Police Department.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Devlin.