A federal prisoner pleaded guilty to conspiring to obtain methamphetamine at the Atlanta Federal Penitentiary.
William Prater, 35, of Cleveland, Tenn., was serving time at the southeast Atlanta facility for violating the terms of his supervised release following a 2010 conviction for manufacturing methamphetamine.
According to prosecutors, he coordinated with his fiancée using a contraband cellphone and arranged for her to bring him drugs.
During a Nov. 4, 2018, visit, Genia Letson passed Prater the meth she had smuggled inside the visitation room, officials said. Guards witnessed the exchange and seized the drugs.
“Prater’s audacious attempt to obtain drugs in a federal prison demonstrates his continued lack of respect for the law,” U.S. Attorney BJay Pak said Thursday in a news release. “Additionally, his use of a contraband cellphone as part of his crime once again highlights the danger these devices present in a prison environment.”
Prater was convicted of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute more than five grams of methamphetamine. Letson, 47, also of Cleveland, Tennessee, pleaded guilty to the same charge on July 29, 2019.
It’s not clear when they will be sentenced.
“Instead of using his time in prison to rehabilitate, Prater chose to continue similar criminal acts that led to his incarceration,” said Chris Hacker, a special agent with the FBI’s Atlanta office. “His bold defiance of the law put prisoners and prison staff in danger and he will now be held accountable for his actions.”
In other news:
About the Author
