TAMPA, Fla. — A former detention officer has pleaded guilty to accepting a bribe to smuggle contraband into a jail that houses federal inmates, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
Dekarri Nixon, 28, of Jasper, admitted to accepting a bribe as a public official. He faces up to 15 years in federal prison. Prosecutors are also seeking forfeiture of $4,000, which they say he received in exchange for the illegal activity.
According to court documents, Nixon worked as a correctional officer at the Citrus County Detention Facility, where he supervised federal detainees awaiting trial and sentencing.
Authorities said Nixon agreed to accept $4,000 to bring a cellphone into the facility, violating his official duties. Officials noted that introducing contraband, particularly cellphones, into detention centers poses serious security risks.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Marshals Service, and the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office.
A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.