A former corrections officer at Trumbull Correctional Institution in Leavittsburg has been sentenced to 30 months in prison for accepting a bribe to smuggle contraband into the facility. James P. Jackson, 40, received the sentence from U.S. District Judge Dan Aaron Polster on December 4 after pleading guilty in July to Hobbs Act extortion under color of official right.
Jackson, who worked at TCI between 2022 and 2024 as both a corrections officer and later as a general maintenance worker, had access to non-public areas of the prison and regular contact with inmates. According to court documents, he communicated with a female associate of an inmate and agreed to deliver packages to the inmate inside the prison. In exchange for his actions, Jackson accepted an initial payment of $1,000 and was promised another $1,000 upon successful delivery.
Law enforcement intercepted Jackson when he attempted to bring the packages into TCI. An investigation found that the items included nearly 98 grams of methamphetamine, more than 200 grams of synthetic cannabinoid, over 32 grams of phencyclidine (PCP), other drugs, a cellphone, and SIM cards.
The FBI Cleveland Division led the investigation along with support from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Trumbull Correctional Institutions-Office of Investigations, Ohio State Highway Patrol-Office of Criminal Investigations Prison Drug Unit, and Investigative Services for the Warren District.
Assistant United States Attorney Chelsea S. Rice prosecuted the case for the Northern District of Ohio.
After completing his prison term, Jackson will serve three years on supervised release.
