Former Calipatria prison guard accused of smuggling drugs

IMPERIAL — A former Calipatria State Prison guard pleaded not guilty Wednesday to a two-count felony indictment accusing him of smuggling heroin and methamphetamine into the prison over an unknown period of time.

Jose Dolores Salgado, 48, of Imperial, had been arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation on Tuesday in Imperial after being found on Jan. 3 in possession of more than five grams of actual methamphetamine that he intended to smuggle into the prison, the U.S. Attorney’s Office reported.

The indictment alleged that Salgado conspired with other persons for an unknown amount of time to distribute narcotics into the prison. The 23-year veteran resigned from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation on Jan. 5.

During Salgado’s arraignment Wednesday in federal court in El Centro, the U.S. Attorney’s Office had requested he be held without bail, citing Salgado’s potential as a flight risk, court records stated.

Although the results of Salgado’s detention hearing Friday remain unclear, he remains in local custody, according to an inmate locator accessible through the county Sheriff’s Office website.

The CDCR’s Office of Internal Affairs had worked collaboratively with its law enforcement partners to root out the alleged corruption.

“The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is dedicated to public safety, and has no tolerance for the introduction of contraband into our prisons, particularly from staff members,” said Joseph Galvan, deputy director of CDCR’s Office of Internal Affairs, in a written statement.

Salgado faces, at a minimum, up to five years imprisonment for each felony charge, which include possession with the intent to distribute heroin and methamphetamine, as well as conspiracy to distribute heroin and methamphetamine.

If convicted, Salgado is also facing the possible forfeiture of any property and proceeds that were directly or indirectly obtained from the alleged illicit activity, including $4,200 in U.S. currency, the indictment stated.