Avelino Ramirez, a former California state correctional officer, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud for his contrived role in disclosing contraband within prison walls. Ramirez's admission of guilt peeled back yet another layer of corruption yesterday, as reported by the U.S Attorney's Office.
While upholding the law, Ramirez engaged in fraudulent activity from October 2021 to February 2024, where he smuggled and planted items such as drugs, tobacco, cell phones, and weapons into San Quentin State Prison and later, the California Medical Facility, only to "discover" these items himself. Designed to boost his perceived performance as a K-9 officer, the scheme intended to secure him a promotion, which was awarded in September 2022 when he became a K-9 sergeant. According to his plea agreement, Ramirez mixed real narcotics with household substances and passed off lawn trimmings as marijuana in his calculated play.
The false pretense tainted Ramirez’s record and unjustly enriched him, as he claimed about $8,200 in overtime pay for the supposed contraband discoveries. This sum was derived from his deceitful machinations when respite was claimed, but the clock ticked in favor of a lie. As the U.S. Attorney's Office made public, Ramirez's actions were finally brought into light after a thorough investigation by the FBI.
Ramirez now awaits sentencing, scheduled for September 18. He is subject to the possibility of 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 for the wire fraud conviction.
