Prison Guard Smuggled Synthetic Drugs For Inmate: Delco DA

A corrections officer at Delaware County's George W. Hill Correctional Facility is accused of bringing a dangerous synthetic drug into the prison, according to the Delaware County District Attorney's Office.

District Attorney Katayoun M. Copeland Bramiir Shareif Cannon, 25, of Folcroft, has been charged with felony contraband and possession of controlled substance charges after allegedly being caught with a synthetic cannabinoid, known as K-2, into the prison.

On Wednesday, all of Pennsylvania's state prisons were locked down indefinitely due to a sudden and mysterious rash of illnesses among employees, with synthetic cannabinoids eyed as the cause, officials announced.

Delco officials said this arrest is not connected to the issue at the state level.

The investigation was conducted by George W. Hill Correctional officers and Detective Edward Kazlo, Sergeant Kenneth Bellis and Detective Edmond Pisani of the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office Criminal Investigation Division (CID).

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On Thursday, Aug. 30, an investigation was launched following a report of contraband at the George W. Hill Correctional Facility, the DA's office said.

Detectives learned that Cannon, a corrections officer at the prison, was scheduled to work the second shift, but arrived approximately three hours late, according to the DA's office.

When he arrived, Cannon was ordered to report to the office of the shift commander, who noticed Cannon was walking with a limp and had a large bulge in the groin area of his pants, the DA's office said.

When questioned about what was in his pants, Cannon advised he was tired of being harassed and left the room, according to the DA's office.

The shift commander immediately had the area secured and called backup correctional officers to the area, the DA's office said.

When confronted by fellow officers, Cannon admitted he had contraband and then Cannon pulled out three bundles of a green leafy substance and 40 cigarettes, according to the DA's office.

CID Detective Kazlo and Sergeant Bellis later interviewed Cannon, who told them that his vehicle was unreliable and often broke down and he needed money to repair it, the DA's office said.

Cannon told investigators that her told an inmate about his financial problems, and that inmate said he would pay Cannon between $200 to $250 if Cannon would bring contraband into the prison for him, according to the DA's office.

Cannon told authorities that he intended on delivering the contraband that he hid in his pants to said inmate, the DA's office said.

During the interview with detectives, Cannon told investigators the green leafy substance was the synthetic marijuana, according to the DA's office.

A field test confirmed the substance was synthetic cannabinoids, the DA's office said.

Cannon admitted that he knew bringing the contraband to the facility was wrong but that he needed money to repair his car, according to the DA's office.

"Just recently, 25 state prisons across the state were placed on lockdown due to visitors smuggling drugs into our state prisons—a very dangerous felony crime that puts the safety of corrections officers, staff, inmates and community members at risk," Copeland said. "In the case of the defendant, he is held to a higher standard of conduct, and instead of doing his job of ensuring the safety of the prison, Mr. Cannon breached the trust of his colleagues, and put their safety at risk by bringing this substance into his workplace. I would like to commend the investigators at the George W. Hill Correctional Facility for their swift response and for immediately launching an investigation into this matter. We commend the prison administration for their continued vigilance and daily efforts to ensure the safety of the inmates and our community by preventing drugs and contraband from entering the prison. I would also like to commend CID Detectives Edward Kazlo and Edmond Pisani and Sergeant Kenneth Bellis for their investigative efforts that led to the arrest in this case."

On Aug. 16, a Maryland woman was arrested for allegedly bringing suboxone into the Delaware County facility for her inmate fiancé.

Cannon held after failing to post $100,000 cash at his Aug. 31 preliminary arraignment.

His preliminary hearing date is scheduled for Sept. 13, court records show.

Image via Delaware County District Attorney's Office