A corrections officer at a state prison is facing criminal charges after an investigation alleged that he smuggled in tobacco products and other contrabands for inmates.
Christopher Santana, 32, of Hackensack, was taken into custody last week and charged with second-degree bribery in official and political matters and official misconduct as well as third-degree contraband, the state Attorney General’s Office said in a statement on Tuesday.
Santana is a senior correctional police officer assigned to Northern State Prison in Newark. The state Department of Corrections did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday night about whether he has been suspended.
An investigation into Santana found that starting in May of this year, he received about $2,000 in bribes from associates and inmates to smuggle items into the prison, the state said.
Department of Corrections investigators then received information that he was planning to smuggle contraband into the prison when arriving for his shift on the night of June 10, authorities said. He was searched upon arrival and was found to be in possession of suspected tobacco and bottles containing an unknown liquid, officials said.
The inmates suspected of conspiring with him were later searched and investigators found tobacco, a cell phone, marijuana and various pills suspected to be controlled dangerous substances, authorities said.
“Public officials who would accept bribes, as alleged here, will be investigated and prosecuted,”said Drew Skinner, executive director of the Attorney General’s Office of Public Integrity and Accountability.
Santana was arrested last Wednesday and later appeared in Essex County Superior Court. He has since been released under the condition that he has no contact with his witnesses or conspirators.
Stories by Nicolas Fernandes
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Nicolas Fernandes may be reached at nfernandes@njadvancemedia.com.