Escapee Caught Smuggling Smokes, Liquor Gets More Prison Time

ATLANTA, GA -- A federal inmate will spend more time in prison after he was caught trying to escape the United States Penitentiary's minimum-security camp in Atlanta.

Justin B. Stinson was sentenced to an additional year and three months in prison for the escape, which U.S. Attorney John Horn described as a scheme to smuggle contraband back inside the institution.

“Prison contraband presents significant security risks to both inmates and guards while adding to the illicit economy," he added.

UPS Atlanta, a medium-security prison for male inmates, is operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The facility also has a detention center for pre-trial inmates as well as a satellite prison camp for minimum-security inmates.

In March 2015, Stinson pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in a Florida federal court. From August 2016 to February of this year, Stinson was assigned to serve his time at USP Atlanta’s minimum security camp.

On Feb. 3, law enforcement officers were conducting surveillance along the USP Atlanta's prison fence line near New Town Circle. Just after 9 p.m., Stinson escaped from the prison by climbing through a hole in one fence and climbing over the prison's outer fence.

The inmate retrieved a large black duffel bag from the occupant of a stopped car on New Town Circle and began walking back towards the institution. The FBI then arrested Stinson from a location outside of USP Atlanta’s confines. The agency also recovered from Stinson a cellular telephone, a pair of scissors, two 1.75 liters of Jose Cuervo tequila, two cartons of Newport cigarettes, four boxes of Black and Mild cigars, and various food items.

Stinson, 37, was indicted Feb. 14 by a federal grand jury on escape and contraband smuggling charges, and he eventually pleaded guilty to one count of escape. His new sentence will be served as his current four-year, three-month prison term ends.

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