Four Correctional Officers Indicted for Introducing or Possessing Drugs in Tennessee Prison

Memphis, TN – Four individuals have been indicted for introducing or possessing drugs in the Tennessee Department of Correction. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee announced the indictments today.

On February 20, 2018, a federal grand jury returned four indictments against four Tennessee Department of Correction officers who worked at the Northwest Correctional Complex, a state penitentiary in Lake County, Tennessee.

U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "Official misconduct by public officers in positions of trust and authority undermines the foundational integrity of our government institutions and the security of correctional facilities. We will root out, expose, and hold accountable those officials who violate their oath for personal gain by introducing illegal narcotics into jails and prisons."

"Every day across this great state the overwhelming majority of correctional professionals perform their duties with professionalism in an environment few people have the strength to tread," shares TDOC Commissioner Tony Parker. "Officers that violate their oath will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."

The four defendants listed are:

• Kiara Bogan, 27, Hickman, KY, indicted for distribution of marijuana.
• Michael Holland, 20, Union City, TN, indicted for two counts of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.
• Darreia Johnson, 21, Hickman, KY, indicted for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.
• Robert Sanders, 41, Newbern, TN, indicted for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.

"Law enforcement officers are accountable for enforcing the law and upholding the public trust, especially corrections officers who are responsible for overseeing those held in the custody of the state," said Special Agent in Charge Michael T. Gavin of the Memphis Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. "These indictments should not be a reflection on the vast number of law enforcement professionals who honorably serve their communities and represent their agencies every day, like those who vigorously investigated this matter."

During this investigation, agents seized 13 ounces of marijuana and 51 grams of cocaine.

If convicted, defendants Bogan, Holland and Johnson each face up to 5 years imprisonment. Defendant Sanders faces up to 20 years in federal prison.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Tarnished Badge Task Force investigated the case against Bogan and Sanders. The Tennessee Department of Correction’s investigative unit investigated the case against Johnson and Holland.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Dean DeCandia is prosecuting these cases on the government’s behalf.

The charges and allegations in the indictments are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proved guilty.