Federal prosecutors say a Cuyahoga County corrections officer admitted on body-camera audio to smuggling drugs into the county jail. In court, though, she says she is not guilty.
Quiana Thompson, 32, a corrections officer at the Cuyahoga County Corrections Center, entered a not-guilty plea Tuesday in federal court to a charge of possessing with intent to distribute a controlled substance. The plea was recorded in court filings and comes even as investigators point to recordings in which they say Thompson acknowledged taking money to move drugs behind bars, a combination that has renewed concerns over contraband and safety in the downtown jail, according to Cleveland.com.
Court records list Thompson’s attorney as Kevin Cafferkey and show she is charged federally with possession with intent to distribute. Her plea was entered despite statements that investigators say are captured on county body-camera video and described in court records, which they allege lay out how she arranged drug deliveries for inmates, Cleveland.com reports.
Prosecutors say deputies stopped Thompson on April 7, 2025, after surveillance video showed her meeting with a woman who was not incarcerated. A search of Thompson’s car turned up suspected contraband: 25 Suboxone strips, 21 pills that field-tested positive for methamphetamine, and paper that tested positive for synthetic marijuana, according to News 5 Cleveland. Investigators say recorded jail phone calls and more surveillance video suggested Thompson was being paid to ferry narcotics into the Corrections Center.
Released body-camera audio captures a tense exchange. A lieutenant tells Thompson he is “extremely appalled,” and investigators press her about how much she was paid and how many deliveries she had made. Thompson acknowledges taking money for deliveries and tells officers, “I know I’m in the wrong, but I have to protect my family,” the recordings show. The footage and related court records were reviewed by News 5 Cleveland.
How the case unfolded
Thompson was arrested by sheriff’s deputies in April 2025 after investigators say they watched her pick up an envelope of suspected meth from a Cleveland resident. Prosecutors later referred the case to federal authorities. At a recent hearing, a judge ordered Thompson to remain on house arrest while the case proceeds, and the county placed her on unpaid administrative leave, WOIO (Cleveland 19) reported.
Legal implications
The federal charge accuses Thompson of possession with intent to distribute, a count that federal prosecutors are pursuing in the Northern District of Ohio. The sheriff’s office has emphasized how serious the allegation is for a locked facility that is already under pressure. “The safety of our staff and residents is our top priority,” Sheriff Harold Pretel told reporters, adding that investigators say their probe is still active, according to WOIO.
Broader concerns for the jail
Unsealed court records and the video evidence also link the alleged smuggling to a near-fatal overdose inside the jail. Deputies say they had to use Narcan three times to revive an inmate who had taken pills similar to those found during the investigation, according to Cleveland.com. The incident has prompted officials and union leaders to again call for tougher contraband screening and staffing fixes at the downtown facility.
The case remains open, and more court filings could follow as federal prosecutors review the evidence. Thompson is presumed innocent, and her next scheduled appearance is expected to determine whether prosecutors will seek an indictment or additional charges.
