Federal prisoner sentenced for running a taxi service for escaped inmates

ATLANTA – U.S. Penitentiary inmate Deldrick D. Jackson has been sentenced to an additional one year, six months in federal prison for running an inmate taxi service and a contraband smuggling operation and with his fiancée Kelly Bass.

“Inmates who escape from prison threaten the safety of our communities and undermine our criminal justice system,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak.  “In this case, Jackson not only escaped from prison, but shockingly ran a contraband smuggling scheme and a for-profit taxi service for escaped inmates.  To those inmates tempted to escape, when you are caught, the consequences will be severe.”

“Not only did Jackson escape from custody and smuggle contraband into a federal prison, but he and his fiancée facilitated the escape of other prisoners while profiting from it,” said David J. LeValley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “This kind of audacity cannot be tolerated and this additional sentence should send a message to anyone inclined to attempt an escape.”

“Prison is where criminals go to be punished, not a place to take joyrides and commit even more crimes,” said Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields. “I’m proud that our team worked closely with the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to ensure this activity was put to a stop.”

According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges, and other information presented in court: the U.S. Penitentiary in Atlanta, Georgia, (“USP Atlanta”) is a medium-security federal prison for male inmates operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. USP Atlanta also has a detention center for pre-trial inmates and a satellite prison camp for minimum-security male inmates.

In May 2013, Jackson was convicted in federal court of conspiring to distribute cocaine and conspiring to launder money.  From July 2016 to April 2017, Jackson was assigned to USP Atlanta. Prison visitation records showed that Bass is Jackson’s fiancée.

From approximately November 2016 to April 2017, Jackson and Bass provided escaped inmates with transportation from USP Atlanta to nearby restaurants, hotels, or residences. For example, on January 28, 2017, Bass picked up Jackson and other escaped inmates from outside USP Atlanta, drove them to a nearby hotel, and hours later, returned Jackson and the other inmates to USP Atlanta. During the course of the conspiracy, Jackson and Bass also smuggled contraband into USP Atlanta to be sold to other prison inmate.

Finally, on April 13, 2017, Bass drove Jackson from USP Atlanta to a local fast food restaurant. Shortly thereafter, law enforcement officers stopped Bass’s vehicle and arrested Bass and Jackson.  Upon searching the SUV, officers recovered two cell phones, 83 packs of cigarettes, and eight bottles of whiskey. In total, Jackson and Bass provided escaped inmates with transportation from USP Atlanta and/or smuggled contraband into the prison on approximately 15 occasions.  Jackson and Bass received approximately $4,000 from the escaped inmates or their families in exchange for rides and from the purchase of contraband.

Deldrick D. Jackson, 41, of DeKalb County, Georgia, was sentenced to an additional one year and six months in prison – to be served after he completes his current ten years, eight month sentence for conspiring to distribute cocaine and conspiring to launder money.  On May 16 and November 14, 2017, Jackson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to escape from custody and to escape from custody, respectively.  He was indicted on April 25, 2017, on conspiratorial and substantive escape charges.

On September 13, 2017, Kelly M. Bass, 38, of DeKalb County, Georgia, was sentenced to six months in prison followed by eight months of home confinement.  Bass pleaded guilty to conspiratorial and substantive escape charges on June 5, 2017.  She was also indicted on April 25, 2017, on conspiratorial and substantive escape charges.

The FBI and Atlanta Police Department investigated this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey W. Davis and Timothy H. Lee prosecuted the case.