SAN ANTONIO – Two prison employees at the Central Texas Detention Facility – GEO have been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly attempting to provide contraband to inmates inside the federal detention facility, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas said.
GEO guard Jewel Jefferson, 37; GEO detainee Brian Gonzalez, 38; and Stephanie Villarreal, 36, were charged with one count of providing contraband in prison in the first of two indictments returned last week, officials with the U.S. attorney's office said.
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Jefferson allegedly agreed to smuggle crystal methamphetamine, heroin and hydroponic marijuana into the facility and give it to Gonzalez in exchange for $1,000, according to court records.
Agents arrested Jefferson on Nov. 21 after he accepted payment, but before he could smuggle in the contraband, officials said. Agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case.
Officials said GEO guard Abigail Jolynn Abrego, 27, and Leonard Belmares, 55, were charged with one count of providing contraband in prison in the second indictment.
Abrego and Belmares met with an undercover agent Nov. 12 and agreed that Abrego would smuggle crystal methamphetamine to a GEO detainee in exchange for $1,500, according to court records.
Agents arrested Abrego and Belmares after Belmares took possession of the cash and a package containing sham crystal methamphetamine, officials said. Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case.
Officials with the U.S. attorney's office said the defendants, if convicted, face up to 20 years in federal prison and a maximum $250,000 fine.
All of the defendants, except Gonzalez, are currently on bond. Officials said court summons will be issued for the defendants' initial appearances on their respective indictments.