Tanita Ellis, a 46-year-old resident of Fitzgerald, Georgia, has been sentenced to 15 months in prison for possessing methamphetamine within a federal prison. This announcement was made by John P. Heekin, the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin commented on the case: “The defendant clearly didn’t learn her lesson after being convicted of peddling this poison on our streets, and she attempted to continue her criminal conduct in prison. Thanks to the diligent work of our correctional staff at this Federal Correctional Institute, she was stopped from sneaking these drugs into the prison, and now she’ll face an extended sentence. My office will continue to work closely with our federal partners to keep our prison facilities safe and free of illegal contraband.”
Court records reveal that Ellis was found with a 2.5-inch-long shard of methamphetamine after being searched by corrections officers following a visit with family members.
Jason Carley, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jacksonville Division, stated: “The FBI is committed to working with the correctional staff at FCI Tallahassee to aggressively pursue inmates who introduce and possess contraband in the facility. This sentencing should serve as a stark warning to all inmates that possessing drugs in prison, whether for personal use or for distribution, is not worth the added prison time.”
The investigation leading to Ellis’s conviction involved cooperation between the FBI and the Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Services Unit. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Eric W. Welch.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida operates as one of 94 offices serving as principal litigators under guidance from the Attorney General.
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