John Paul Ketteman, a former corrections officer with the Alabama Department of Corrections, has entered a guilty plea to charges of receiving a bribe while employed at a federally funded facility. The plea was made before U.S. District Judge Liles C. Burke in Huntsville, Alabama.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona along with Federal Bureau of Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher DiMenna and United States Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick Davis.
According to the plea agreement, Ketteman, who worked at the Limestone Correctional Facility in Harvest, Alabama, was involved in smuggling contraband into the facility. Employed to inspect cells and supervise inmates, it was discovered that Ketteman received over $10,000 through Cash App within less than three months in 2022. The payments were in exchange for smuggling activities and acting as a lookout for illegal activities.
Ketteman's sentencing is set for June 24, 2025. The law stipulates a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for the offense of receiving a bribe while employed by an organization receiving federal funds.
The investigation was carried out by the FBI and the United States Secret Service, with the Alabama Department of Correction's Law Enforcement Services Division providing significant assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney John M. Hundscheid is overseeing the prosecution.