Former California Prison Correctional Officer Indicted for Accepting Bribes

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On Sept. 14, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment against Stephen Joseph Crittenden, 43, of Suisun City, charging him with bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. The indictment was unsealed following Crittenden’s arrest.

According to court documents, Crittenden was a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation correctional officer at the California Medical Facility in Vacaville. In 2021 and 2022 he accepted bribes to smuggle cellphones into the California Medical Facility.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Fogg is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Crittenden faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.