S.C. Prison Supervisor Accused of Pocketing $219,000 in Bribes
Author: HERE News
Supervisor Managed Contraband Operation
Columbia, S.C. — A seasoned supervisor, who has been overseeing the security of a South Carolina prison, has allegedly pocketed an astounding sum of over $219,000 in bribes within a span of three years. In addition to this, she is also implicated in managing the smuggling of 173 contraband cellphones to the inmates, according to federal prosecutors.
46-year-old Christine Mary Livingston, who was indicted earlier this month on serious charges that include bribery, conspiracy, wire fraud, and money laundering, had been an employee of the South Carolina Department of Corrections for 16 years. Her promotion to the rank of Captain at Broad River Correctional Institution in 2016 put her in control of security of the medium-security prison located in Columbia.
Collaboration with Inmate
Investigators disclosed that Livingston worked alongside an inmate, 33-year-old Jerell Reaves, to accept large amounts of bribes in exchange for contraband items such as cellphones. The duo reportedly accepted payments that ranged from $1,000 to $7,000 for each device. The payments were made digitally across the smartphone money transfer application, Cash App, per the federal indictment which was opened to the public last Thursday.
The two suspects, known to the others as “Hell Rell” and “Hell Rell’s Queen” respectively, may face a 20-year prison term, a fine amounting to $250,000 and could also be ordered to forfeit the illicitly-obtained funds if declared guilty in the court of law.
Long-standing Issue
The issue of contraband cellphones in South Carolina prisons has been a problem for years. Speaking on the subject, Corrections Director Bryan Stirling revealed that inmates have misused the devices to coordinate drug rings, execute fraud schemes, and even have assassinations ordered from within their cells.
“Broken Public Trust”
Stirling was quoted as saying, “This woman broke the public trust in South Carolina, making our prisons less safe for inmates, staff, and the community. We absolutely will not tolerate officers and employees who bring contraband into our prisons, and I’m glad she is being held accountable.”
Efforts have been undertaken by the South Carolina prison system to obtain federal permission for jamming cellphone signals in prisons. This request, however, remains pending. In recent times, they have seen success with a device that locates all active cellphones within prison grounds, and lets employees request mobile carriers to block unauthorized numbers. Due to a shorter budget, this program currently operates only within one prison.
