LEAVENWORTH, Kan. — Two former prison guards at Leavenworth Detention Center have been indicted by a federal grand jury on counts accusing them of smuggling drugs and other contraband into the prison, according to federal authorities.
According to court documents, Jacqueline Sifuentes, 25, of Laredo, Texas, previously worked as a correctional officer at Leavenworth Detention Center, a privately run, maximum-security federal prison in Leavenworth.
The indictment alleges that Sifuentes used her position as a public official to smuggle contraband, including methamphetamine, marijuana, and tobacco, into the prison in exchange for bribe payments from federal inmates.
Sifuentes, who was arrested Tuesday, is charged with conspiring to commit bribery and provide contraband, bribery, and providing contraband to an inmate. If convicted of all counts, she faces up to 40 years in prison.
According to court documents, Cheyonte Harris, 29, of Raytown also previously worked as a correctional officer at Leavenworth Detention Center.
The indictment alleges that Harris used her position as a public official to smuggle contraband into prison in exchange for bribe payments. The indictment further alleges that she made material misrepresentations to the FBI when she was interviewed in April 2021.
Harris, who was arrested on Monday, is charged with conspiring to commit bribery and provide contraband and making false statements to federal agents. If convicted of all counts, she faces up to 10 years in prison.
The ongoing investigation is being conducted by the FBI.
