Former Prison Guard Sentenced for Bribery And Dealing Drugs to Inmates
Public Corruption Involved the Smuggling of Heroin and Marijuana into FCI Sheridan

Portland, Ore. – James Stephen Rolen, 31, of Salem, Oregon was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Garr M. King to 24 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, on his conviction for receiving a bribe to smuggle heroin, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia into the Federal Correctional Institution in Sheridan, Oregon. Rolen was a correctional officer at FCI Sheridan and pled guilty to receiving a bribe as a public official and possessing heroin with the intent to distribute it.

Commenting on the prosecution, U.S. Attorney Karin Immergut stated, “James Rolen used his position as a correctional officer to profit from selling drugs and in the process jeopardized the security of the prison at Sheridan. His sentencing today sends the clear message that abuse of the public trust by public officials will not be tolerated.”

"The American people have a right to expect federal prison employees to act with honesty and integrity,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Alan J. Peters. “Violation of that trust is unacceptable on any level. This case is an example of how aggressively the FBI can and will pursue corrupt public officials.”

In February 2007, the FBI and FCI Sheridan’s Special Investigative Section were investigating the illegal smuggling of contraband into FCI Sheridan. After obtaining a court order authorizing a wiretap on Rolen’s cellular telephone, FBI agents intercepted several telephone calls between Rolen and inmate Alfredo Carranza, Jr., who was calling Rolen from inside FCI Sheridan to order heroin. Carranza bribed Rolen to smuggle heroin and marijuana into the prison, promising to pay him approximately $2,000. Rolen collected a portion of the bribe from Carranza’s juvenile sister. Carranza also asked Rolen to smuggle in a digital scale, as well as water balloons and plastic wrap, so the drugs could be concealed when they were distributed within the prison. On February 23, 2007, Rolen met with co-defendant Eliverio Martinez-Franco in a rural area near a dairy farm in Salem to pick up the black tar heroin and marijuana. Two days later, Rolen was arrested when he tried to enter FCI Sheridan with the heroin, marijuana, a digital scale, and other paraphernalia hidden in his backpack.

Co-defendant Alfredo Carranza, Jr. pled guilty to bribery of a public official and conspiracy to distribute heroin and marijuana. On November 20, 2007, Carranza was sentenced to 30 months imprisonment – to run consecutively to the federal sentence he was serving at FCI Sheridan when these crimes were committed – and three years of supervised release. Eliverio Martinez-Franco pled guilty to possession of heroin with intent to distribute. He is scheduled for sentencing on April 7, 2008.

In a related indictment, CR 07-146-KI, former FCI Sheridan education specialist Timothy Andrew Gilmartin pled guilty for receiving bribes in connection with a conspiracy to smuggle tobacco into FCI Sheridan. Gilmartin is scheduled for sentencing on March 31, 2008. Three Sheridan inmates, and one inmate’s wife, have also pled guilty to bribery of a public official in connection with several bribes paid to Gilmartin over the course of the smuggling conspiracy. Most of the bribes were paid to Gilmartin by hiding the money inside a book entitled Billionaire at the Sheridan Public Library. Gilmartin went to the library regularly in the course of his official duties because he supervised the law library at FCI Sheridan. Two other inmates pled guilty to possession of a prohibited object (tobacco) inside a federal prison.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, FCI Sheridan’s Special Investigative Section, and the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Inspector General.

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