Buckeye Reporter

James P. Jackson, a 39-year-old from Niles, Ohio, has admitted to accepting a bribe to smuggle contraband into the Trumbull Correctional Institution (TCI) in Leavittsburg. Jackson, who worked at TCI from 2022 to 2024 as a corrections officer and later as a general maintenance worker, pleaded guilty on July 15, 2025.

Court documents reveal that Jackson communicated with the wife of an inmate at TCI. After exchanging messages and phone calls, they met on February 1, 2024. She gave him two large packages intended for her husband inside the prison. In return, Jackson received $1,000 upfront and was promised another $1,000 upon successful delivery.

However, law enforcement intercepted Jackson before he could deliver the packages. The investigation found that the packages contained drugs including methamphetamine and synthetic cannabinoids, along with a cellphone and SIM cards.

Jackson was charged under Hobbs Act extortion for using his position to smuggle these items into TCI. He faces up to 20 years in prison and fines up to $250,000. Sentencing is pending as a federal district court judge will consider various factors before deciding.

The FBI Cleveland Division led the investigation alongside the DEA and other local agencies. Assistant United States Attorneys Chelsea S. Rice and Rebecca C. Lutzko are prosecuting the case.