Former Prince George’s County Department of Corrections correctional officer Danielle Dominique Smith, age 34, of Waldorf, Maryland, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, in connection with her smuggling drugs to a prisoner with whom she had an intimate relationship.
The guilty plea was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration – Washington Division; Director Corenne D. Labbe of the Prince George’s County Department of Corrections; and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
According to her guilty plea, from November 23, 2009 through April 15, 2022, Smith was employed as a correctional officer at the Prince George’s County Department of Corrections (“PGDOC”) detention facility.
During her employment, Smith developed a romantic and sexual relationship with an inmate at PGDOC, discussing their relationship on recorded jail calls beginning on at least June 3, 2021 and continuing until March 2, 2022.
As detailed in the plea agreement, from August 29, 2021 and March 2, 2022, Smith conspired with her inmate boyfriend and other co-conspirators to distribute Suboxone, and the synthetic cannabinoid commonly known as K2. S
pecifically, Smith obtained the controlled substances from co-conspirators outside PGDOC, then smuggled the drugs into PGDOC where she concealed them on special diet food trays designated for her inmate boyfriend.
Once the inmate received the food tray, he distributed the controlled substances to other inmates within PGDOC. Other inmates, or relative and friends of inmates then sent Smith money for the controlled substances.
Smith and the inmate discussed the distribution of the controlled substances on recorded jail calls, referring to the controlled substances as food products in an effort to conceal the nature of the conversation.
On September 24, 2021, PGDOC Special Investigations and Intelligence Section conducted a targeted cell search of Smith’s boyfriend’s cell for contraband and recovered white paper that was found to contain K2.
On February 16, 2022, PGDOC Special Investigations and Intelligence Section conducted a targeted cell search of another PGDOC inmate for suspected contraband and found a bottle containing 395 strips that were found to contain Suboxone. The K2 and Suboxone were smuggled into PGDOC by Smith.
According to the plea agreement, at the end of February 2022, Smith took pre-approved leave from work. Smith continued to speak to her inmate boyfriend on jail calls during that time.
On a March 2, 2022 jail call, the day Smith was scheduled to return to work, the inmate asked Smith if she was bringing the “meals,” and Smith said she was. Concerned that Smith was going to smuggle additional controlled substances, PGDOC administratively suspended Smith when she arrived at work that same day.
Smith and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Smith will be sentenced to six months of home detention. U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang has scheduled sentencing for October 13, 2023, at 2:30 p.m.
U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DEA, the PGDOC, and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron also thanked Assistant United States Attorney Leah B. Grossi, who is prosecuting the case.
