A federal inmate with the Bureau of Prisons was sentenced to 18 months in prison for offering bribes to a corrections officer. This was announced by United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison, who was joined by William J. Hannah, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice, Office of Inspector General.
Robert Bibbs, aged 28 from Chicago, Illinois, pleaded guilty in October 2024 to one count of offering bribes to a public official before United States District Judge Jonathan J.C. Grey. Corrections officers are classified as public officials under federal law.
Court documents revealed that between April and November 2023, Bibbs became acquainted with a corrections officer at the Milan Federal Correctional Institution (FCI Milan) in Michigan. During this period, Bibbs asked the officer, identified as CO-1 in the plea agreement, to purchase pouches of loose tobacco and smuggle them into the prison for him. He intended to sell the tobacco within the prison for profit. In September 2023, CO-1 also purchased a gold necklace and secretly brought it into the prison for Bibbs. Both items are considered contraband at FCI Milan.
United States Attorney Ison emphasized that "our justice system cannot function properly if our prisons are not safe and secure." She stated that inmates engaging in such conduct endanger everyone's safety inside the prison and vowed to address crime wherever it occurs.
William J. Hannah added that "contraband items such as jewelry and tobacco are used as currency within federal prisons," which undermines institutional safety and security. He noted that today's sentencing demonstrates accountability for inmates attempting to bribe correctional officers.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eaton P. Brown following an investigation by the Department of Justice-Office of Inspector General.