Former Corrections Officer Sentenced to Prison for Attempt to Provide Cocaine to an Inmate

PHOENIX—Juan Nunez, 41, of Coolidge, Arizona was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roslyn O. Silver to 24 months in prison to be followed by 36 months of supervised release, and ordered to perform 100 hours of community service while under the court’s supervision. Nunez previously pleaded guilty to attempting to furnish an inmate with contraband on April 10, 2010.

“Our correctional officers must maintain the integrity of the corrections system, to which the vast majority dedicate themselves. They should be part of the solution to crime, not part of the problem, as Mr. Nunez clearly was,” said Dennis K. Burke, U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona. “We are grateful to the FBI, the U.S. Marshal Service, the local law enforcement agencies involved, and in particular CCA Florence, for their joint cooperation which brought this investigation to a successful prosecution.”

Nunez previously admitted that during the period of October 30 through November 6, 2008, he was correctional officer employed by Corrections Corporation of America (CCA), and worked at the CCA Central Arizona Detention Center located in Florence, Ariz., a contract federal prison facility. During that time, he attempted to provide an inmate of the facility with cocaine. In the course of his attempt on November 6, Nunez met with an FBI special agent, who was acting in an undercover capacity, in a parking lot in Tucson, Ariz. During the meeting in the undercover agent's car, Nunez received approximately ½ ounce cocaine and $1,600 in cash as payment for the delivery of the cocaine to the inmate. Nunez was arrested without incident shortly after he got out of the undercover agent's car.

“It is imperative for our correctional institutions to have a high level of integrity in order to maintain the public's trust,” said Nathan Gray, FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Division. “Today's sentencing is the culmination of cooperation between our law enforcement partners and CCA Florence.”

Nunez was ordered by Judge Silver to self-surrender for service of his sentence on October 12, 2010.

The investigation in this case was being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Marana Police Department, the Tucson Police Department, and the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. Representatives of CCA in Florence cooperated with the agencies throughout the investigation. The prosecution is being handled by Frederick A. Battista, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.