ECI CO Convicted on Charged of Racketeering and Conspiracy

The final defendant has been convicted of federal racketeering at the Eastern Correctional Institution in Westover, Maryland.  A federal jury convicted correctional officer 28 year old Jessica Vennie of Texas of racketeering, as well as drug and money laundering conspiracies.  Sixteen of 18 correctional officers charged were convicted.  A total of 77 out of 80 defendants were convicted in the scheme, which involved paying bribes to correctional officers to smuggle contraband – including drugs, tobacco and cell phones – into the prison.   Correctional officer Jocelyn Byrd of Salisbury was acquitted by the jury.