Former Fulton County Detention Officer Sentenced to Federal Prison for Accepting Bribe to Smuggle Cell Phones into County Jail

ATLANTA—Former Fulton County Detention Officer DERICK DESHUN FRAZIER, 32, of Stockbridge, Georgia, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Orinda D. Evans to prison on charges of accepting a bribe to smuggle cellular telephones and cigarettes to inmates inside the Fulton County Jail.

United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said, “Cell phones in the hands of inmates pose a very grave risk to security of the jail, and can provide an avenue for inmates to commit more crimes, both inside and outside the jail. This detention officer endangered honest law enforcement officers who worked in the jail, other inmates, and even the citizens of our community, when he chose to take a bribe instead of conducting himself as a law enforcement officer.”

Brian D. Lamkin, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Atlanta Field Office, said, “Detention officers face many hazards working in a correctional facility such as the Fulton County Jail. Temptation to profit from assisting these inmates, in violation of established department rules and regulations and the law, is certainly one of those hazards. The degradation of security and even the continuance of criminal conduct by the inmates while inside correctional facilities are the realities when introducing prohibited items such as cell phones into jails and prisons. The FBI will continue to work with the Fulton County Sheriff in identifying, investigating, and presenting for prosecution such individuals who would jeopardize their institution and their co-workers by such actions.”

Fulton County Sheriff Theodore “Ted” Jackson said, “The shame and dishonor that Mr. Derick Deshun Frazier brought upon himself should in no way reflect upon the majority of hard working members of the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office who perform their duties with integrity. The Sheriff’s Office will continue to aggressively investigate and assist with investigations concerning allegations of criminal behavior by any employee on all levels within the agency who is suspected of wrongdoing. The FBI has exhibited a high level of professionalism in the thorough investigations of these matters. There is zero tolerance for the smuggling of contraband at the Fulton County Jail. Internal procedures have been established to address this issue as well as improving security for our employees, inmates, and visitors at the Fulton County Jail.”

FRAZIER was sentenced to six months in federal prison to be followed by three months of home confinement, to be followed by two years of supervised release. FRAZIER pleaded guilty to the charge on October 24, 2011.

According to United States Attorney Yates, the charges, and other information presented in court: On February 18, 2011, FRAZIER, while employed as a detention officer at the Fulton County Jail, accepted $400 from an individual working in an undercover capacity for the FBI to deliver two cellular telephones and two packs of cigarettes to an inmate in the jail. On February 21, 2011, Frazier delivered the telephones and the cigarettes to the inmate as planned. Later that day, the contraband was collected from the inmate by investigators.

FRAZIER is one of three former Fulton County law enforcement officers employed at the county jail who have recently been convicted in federal court.

• On November 8, 2011, former Deputy Sheriff Marvie Trevino Dingle, Jr., 34, of Lithonia, Georgia, pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted possession with the intent to distribute cocaine inside and outside the county jail and two counts of extortion under color of official right for accepting more than $2,000 to smuggle drugs into the jail and to protect a drug transaction outside of the jail.
• On October 24, 2011, Akil Scott, 31, of Lithonia, Georgia, pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted possession with intent to distribute cocaine and two counts of extortion under color of official right for accepting $650 to smuggle drugs into the jail.

This case was investigated by special agents of the FBI.

Assistant United States Attorney Brent Alan Gray prosecuted the case.

For further information please contact Sally Q. Yates, United States Attorney, or Charysse L. Alexander, Executive Assistant United States Attorney, through Patrick Crosby, Public Affairs Officer, U.S. Attorney’s Office, at (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the HomePage for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is www.justice.gov/usao/gan.