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Press Release

Washington D.C. Woman Charged With Providing Marijuana To Federal Inmate

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Middle District of Pennsylvania

SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that on September 19, 2017, a federal grand jury indicted a Washington, D.C., woman for providing contraband to an inmate at the United States Penitentiary at Canaan (USP Canaan), Waymart, Pennsylvania, and that the inmate has been charged with possession of contraband in prison.

 

According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, the charges in the indictment stem from an incident on July 1, 2017, in which Tianna Thompson, age 25, of Washington, D.C., allegedly provided several small packages of marijuana to inmate Charles Elegalam, age 30, formerly of Washington D.C., during a social visit at USP Canaan. The marijuana packages were subsequently seized from Elegalam by prison staff members.

 

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Service.  Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.

 

Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

 

A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

 

The maximum penalty under federal law is five years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.

 

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Updated September 21, 2017

Topic
Drug Trafficking