OCALA, FL—United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the return of an indictment charging Rashan L. Gibson (28, Clermont) with making a false statement to federal investigators. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.

According to court documents, in January 2015, federal investigators were contacted by an inmate at the Coleman Federal Correctional Institution in Sumter County who claimed that Gibson, a federal corrections officer, had smuggled cigarettes into the facility in exchange for a $500 bribe. In May 2015, investigators monitored an audio and video-recorded meeting between Gibson and the inmate. During that meeting, Gibson and the inmate discussed the previous transaction, as well as a future $5,000 payment for other contraband that Gibson would smuggle into the prison. The inmate also provided Gibson with the name of a contact who could deliver the payment to him.

On August 6, 2015, investigators confronted Gibson about the smuggling operation. During the meeting, Gibson denied smuggling contraband into the prison. He also claimed that he had not met with the inmate, had not discussed a bribery payment, and had never received the name of a person who would pay him money on the inmate’s behalf.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has violated one or more federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

This case was investigated by the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.