LEXINGTON, Ky. -A former correctional officer at United States Penitentiary Big Sandy, in Martin County, was found guilty by a federal jury after a four day trial for conspiracy to provide an inmate with prohibited objects, conspiracies to distribute controlled substances, possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substances, and attempted introduction of contraband into a Federal prison.

Alice Marie Stapleton, 31, smuggled prohibited items, such as marijuana and heroin, into Big Sandy for inmate Personee McGhee, in exchange for money. Correctional officers and their belongings are not subject to search when they report for duty.

The evidence introduced at trial established that in late December 2005 or early January 2006, and again in March 2006, Stapleton conspired to, and in fact did, smuggle drugs into the prison for inmate McGhee. On July 23, 2006, Stapleton was stopped by the Kentucky State Police and the FBI after surveillance revealed she was in possession of drugs. A search of her vehicle found her in possession of approximately a pound of marijuana, an ounce of heroin, two cellular telephones with chargers, and $1,000 in cash.

U.S. Attorney Amul Thapar said he was proud of the continued great work done by the Bureau of Prisons, FBI and U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General, to keep our justice system clean and working effectively.

"The citizens of our communities need to be aware of the impressive work done by these agencies, and this case is just one example," Thapar said. "They strive to ensure our justice system works, and that those who are a part of it, continue to uphold its intended purpose," Thapar said

The evidence established that during the conspiracy, inmate McGhee would call his mother Clady McGhee, and ask her to pick up "legal papers," code for drugs, from different individuals including Maria Mimms, on several occasions throughout late 2005 and early 2006. After picking up the items from Ms. Mimms in her hometown of Indianapolis, Indiana, Ms. McGhee would travel to Paintsville, Kentucky. Stapleton would meet Clady McGhee, at a motel in Paintsville to pick up the contraband items, in exchange for about $800 to $1,000, each time.

Clady McGhee would be driven by either Tameka Halliburton, or Grady Perry, to pick up the drugs from Mimms, or other unidentified individuals. They would then drive to a motel in either Paintsville or Inez, to meet Stapleton. Clady Mcghee would put the drugs into a baby powder can to be smuggled in by Stapleton.

The evidence established at trial that on July 21, 2006, Ms. McGhee picked up a Tide detergent box, containing approximately a pound of marijuana and two cellular telephones with chargers, from an unidentified individual in Columbus, Ohio. She then traveled to Paintsville and passed these items onto Stapleton, along with heroin contained in a Johnson's baby powder bottle, and $1,000 cash, on July 23, 2006.

Mimms was found guilty by a federal jury for conspiracy to provide an inmate with prohibited objects, and conspiring to distribute controlled substances. She will be sentenced at 11 a.m. on June 8, 2007.

Stapleton's sentencing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on June 8, 2007. Stapleton and Mimms each face up to 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine and three years supervised release.

Grady Perry, 54, pleaded guilty in November of last year to conspiracy with the intent to distribute heroin and was sentenced on Friday, February 23, 2006, to eight months home detention.

Clady McGhee, 56, pleaded guilty in October of last year to conspiracy to provide an inmate of a federal prison with contraband items and possession of heroin with the intent to distribute. She was sentenced to three years probation on Friday, February 23, 2006..

Personee McGhee, 36, pleaded guilty in October of last year to conspiracy to introduce contraband items into a federal prison and conspiracy to distribute heroin. On Friday, February 23, 2006, he was sentenced to two years, which will be consecutive to the life sentence he is currently serving.

Tameka Halliburton, 28, pleaded guilty in January of this year to conspiracy to introduce contraband into a federal prison and conspiracy to distribute heroin. She will be sentenced on April 9, 2007 at 11 a.m. and faces up to 20 years in prison and supervised release for three years.

The investigation was conducted jointly by the United States Bureau of Prisons - Special Investigative Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert M. Duncan, Jr, and Patrick H. Molloy, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Walasinski.