A Midlands woman who used to be a guard at a federal prison in South Carolina was convicted on multiple charges, including smuggling drugs and other contraband into the correctional institution, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Angela Crosland, a 51-year-old Elgin resident, was convicted of bribery, money laundering, distribution of methamphetamine as well as suboxone and filing false income tax returns, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said Monday in a news release.

Crosland worked as a correctional officer at Federal Correctional Institution Williamsburg, where she smuggled contraband into the Salters prison in exchange for money, according to the release. The contraband included suboxone, methamphetamine, K-2-soaked paper, marijuana, tobacco, food and other items, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

Evidence presented to the jury included records of Crosland’s Cash App accounts, which showed payments totaling $56,791 made to her from family and associates of inmates at the male-only, medium-security correctional institution, according to the release. These payments occurred over about a nine-month period, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

Crosland failed to report this income on her federal tax returns, according to the release.

Information about what Crosland did with the money was not available.

A federal jury returned the guilty verdict following two days of trial, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

“Those who work in public service, especially in law enforcement and corrections, must be held to a higher standard,” U.S. Attorney Adair Boroughs

said in the release. “Crosland’s actions damage trust in our prison systems while compromising the safety of Williamsburg FCI’s staff and inmates.”

U.S. District Judge Joseph Dawson will sentence Crosland after receiving and reviewing a pre-sentence report from the U.S. Probation Office.

This case was investigated by the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Justice and the IRS Criminal Investigation . Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bill Watkins and Winston Marosek are prosecuting the case. Information about Crosland’s lawyers was not available.

“Crosland smuggled drugs and other contraband into the federal prison in exchange for tens of thousands of dollars in bribes,” Eric Fehlman, special agent in charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Southeast Region , said in the release. “Her corrupt actions jeopardized the safety and security of the entire facility.”

February 3, 2025 | State, The: Web Edition Articles (Columbia, SC)
Author/Byline: Noah Feit, The State | Section: crime