Florida Congresswoman Laurel Lee (R) introduced the Lieutenant Osvaldo Albarati Stopping Prison Contraband Act, which will increase the penalty for smuggling or possessing a contraband cell phone in federal prisons from a misdemeanor to a felony.
In 2013, Lieutenant Osvaldo Albarati, a Bureau of Prisons (BOP) correctional officer, was murdered by 5 men after his shift. The hit was facilitated with a contraband cell phone.
“Contraband cell phones are often used to facilitate illegal activity and pose a serious risk to correctional officers, other inmates, and civilians,” Rep. Lee said. “This bill will increase the penalty for smuggling cellphones into prisons and will provide oversight of the Department of Justice (DOJ) to ensure our prison systems and their policies are being upheld.”
Background:
- The current penalty for smuggling a cellphone to an inmate is up to a year in prison.
- This bill also mandates the DOJ to conduct a review of their policies related to prisoners caught with contraband and instructs BOP to update those policies where needed.
Read the bill here.
