Former Prison Guard Pleads Guilty to Smuggling Drugs into Federal Prison

Contact Person: Nick Bianchi (843) 727-4381

Charleston, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated today that Anthony Jermaine Creech, of Blackville, South Carolina, has entered a guilty plea in federal court in Charleston, to providing marijuana to inmates at Estill FCI, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1791.  United States Magistrate Judge Mary Gordon Baker of Charleston accepted the guilty plea.  Sentence will be imposed after a district judge has reviewed the presentence report which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.

Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that on January 8, 2015, Creech, while working as a prison guard at Estill FCI, delivered one ounce of marijuana to an inmate at the prison.  When confronted by authorities, Creech admitted to smuggling in marijuana and other contraband to inmates in exchange for money, and resigned his position at the prison.    Estill FCI is a medium security federal prison in Estill, South Carolina. 

Mr. Nettles stated the maximum penalty is imprisonment for 5 years and/or a fine of $250,000.

The case was investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General.  Assistant United States Attorney Nick Bianchi of the Charleston office is prosecuting the case.

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