Final Defendant Sentenced to 51 Months in Federal Prison for a Racketeering Conspiracy to Smuggle Contraband Into the Chesapeake Detention Facility

Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III, sentenced Bernard Bay, age 53, of Baltimore, to 51 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for a racketeering conspiracy at the Chesapeake Detention Facility (CDF), in Baltimore, Maryland. Judge Russell ordered that Bey's federal sentence be served consecutive to the 10 year sentence that Bey is currently serving for possession of a stolen firearm. Bey, who was a leader in the conspiracy, is the final defendant in the conspiracy to be sentenced. Three former correctional officers (COs), three other detainees, and two outside "facilitators" pleaded guilty or were convicted after trial for their roles in the conspiracy, which involved paying bribes to correctional officers to smuggle contraband, including narcotics, tobacco, and cell phones, into the prison. Bey's co-defendants were sentenced to between 18 and 51 months in federal prison.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Secretary Carolyn J. Scruggs of the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services.

According to court documents and the evidence presented at trial, CDF is run by the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS) pursuant to a contract with the United States Marshals Service (USMS) and is used for the housing of federal pretrial detainees.

According to his plea agreement, from at least 2018 through June 2020, Bey conspired with other detainees, employees and associates of CDF to smuggle contraband into CDF, including narcotics, cell phones, and tobacco, in exchange for bribe payments. Bey had a romantic relationship with CO Talaia Youngblood and she met with outside facilitators at Bey's direction to receive contraband and bribe payments, as well as the cellular telephone that she used to communicate with Bey. For example, in March 2020 Bey sent a note to CO Youngblood telling her that an outside facilitator would be providing her with marijuana and CDs and DVDs to smuggle into CDF. Bey also told Youngblood to contact a second outside facilitator, whom Bey called "Fatman," so that Fatman could provide her with a pair of designer sunglasses as a bribe.

As detailed in his plea agreement, during the Spring of 2020, Bey made a $500 bribe payment to another CO through an outside facilitator after CO Youngblood stopped showing up to work. In August 2018, Bey paid a bribe to a third CO, Andre Davis, who then smuggled a smart watch and a package containing tobacco into CDF for Bey.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and DPSCS for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter J. Martinez and Robert I. Goldaris, who prosecuted the case.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney's Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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