Fayette County Prison employees indicted
A grand jury investigation has led to the indictment of 30 inmates and employees of the Fayette County Prison, including a deputy warden and several corrections officers, in connection with a drug and contraband operation at the facility, according to the county district attorney’s office.
Among the 23 people indicted are four corrections officers, a deputy warden and nine inmates, as well as a law clerk and an assistant to the county court administrator, authorities said. A juvenile is also among those charged.
District Attorney Richard Bower announced the charges at a news conference late last week.
The grand jury investigation began in November.
“When we started this, we never knew how deep the corruption was,” Mr. Bower said.
Mr. Bower presented a number of cases — most of which are not connected to each other — involving illegal activity among prison inmates, corrections officers and administrators, plus relatives and associates outside the jail.
Michael Zavada, who was the prison’s deputy warden, allegedly gave a cellphone to an inmate and is charged with two counts of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity, two counts of conspiracy to commit dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity and four charges relating to possession of contraband.
The four corrections officers facing charges are Scott Bush, Chad Bussey, Angela Powell and Riley Platt.
Ms. Powell, 37, of East Uniontown, is accused of giving drugs to inmates, including marijuana, tobacco and the narcotic Suboxone.
She is facing 10 charges including conspiracy of possession with intent to deliver, possession of contraband and obstructing administration of law or other government function.
Mr. Platt, 25, of Dunbar, is accused of working with people outside the prison, including an inmate’s mother, to bring drugs to the inmates. He faces 18 charges including conspiracy to commit possession of contraband by an inmate, bribery, aiding consummation of crime and corrupt organizations.
He allegedly helped smuggle drugs — including Suboxone, the synthetic marijuana K2, Xanax and loose tobacco — into the jail to three inmates: 41-year-old Charles Lynn, of Georges Township; Joseph Stenger, 38, of Connellsville; and Keith Bradshaw, 32, of Everson.
The charges against Mr. Bush, 46, of Connellsville, include
aggravated assault, terroristic threats, harassment and official oppression.
Mr. Bussey, 37, of Spring Hill, is charged with tampering with public records or information and one count of official oppression.
Other officials involved include a 30-year-old law clerk, Ryan Marshall, and a 51-year-old court administrator assistant, Tammy Cable, both of whom are from Uniontown. Each is charged with 40 theft- and conspiracy-related counts, including theft of a vehicle, a china cabinet and miniature cars.
Also allegedly involved in that conspiracy are Ms. Cable’s parents, Ernest and Sherry Walters, of Uniontown, and Ms. Walter’s brother-in-law, Elmer Kinsner III.
“It is a deep-seated problem,” Mr. Bower said. “Further, the corruption had gone unchecked for too many years. If it were not for a few dedicated employees, who shall remain unnamed, we would never have been made aware of this deep -rooted corruption.”
Mr. Bower praised the work of the agencies that investigated the issues, including the state police, county detectives and the Uniontown and Connellsville police departments.
“I would like to be able to say that the investigations are finished,” Mr. Bower said. “However, they are not.”
Mr. Bower said the work is ongoing and more charges may be filed, and two cases have been turned over to the U.S. Attorney’s office and may conclude with federal prosecution.