Three correctional officers charged with providing contraband to Beaver County Jail inmates
HOPEWELL TWP. — After being accused of sneaking in contraband to inmates, three correctional officers from the Beaver County Jail are facing charges.
According to court documents, various felony and misdemeanor charges were filed against Anthony Suman, 35, and Erin Huff, 39, in connection to the two sneaking drugs and other paraphernalia to inmates within the county jail. Another correctional officer, 56-year-old Raphael Abercrombie, was also charged with misdemeanor charges for sneaking in tobacco to one inmate.
According to the criminal charges, the investigation into these incidents began on Feb. 25 when Warden William Schouppe told detectives he had received information officers had brought the contraband into the county jail. The warden added they had confiscated lighters and drug paraphernalia from inmates during this period, as well as some inmates testing positive for narcotics during drug tests.
Detectives interviewed several current and previous inmates about the distribution of this contraband, including a shakedown of one inmate's cell. Throughout the investigation, evidence pointed to Abercrombie, Huff and Suman using the mobile-phone app "Cash App" to receive payments from inmates' friends or family to sneak items into the jail, authorities said.
On April 12, detectives interviewed a previous inmate of the Beaver County Jail about the topic of contraband and learned the inmate's family would pay the accounts $bigmike1845 and $jackfrost1522 in order for them to receive contraband. After search warrants were obtained by detectives, the account for Jackfrost1522 was connected to a Wesbanco card belonging to Suman.
A second inmate also linked Suman to contraband distribution within the jail, stating that he had received marijuana and suboxone from the correctional officer.
Suman currently faces felony charges for distributing contraband, criminal use of a communication device and possession of a controlled substance with an intent to manufacture or deliver. He also faces misdemeanor charges for obstructing justice and possession of a controlled substance.
During a shakedown of another prisoner's cell, detectives found an address book that listed Huff's number under a derogatory name. In messages between the inmate and an individual outside of the jail, it indicates the money was to be sent through Cash App to the account $sexcarmywife in order to receive a "Valentine Day package." The inmate also indicated calling Huff's number would speed up the process.
After obtaining a search warrant for the account, detectives found that $sexcarmywife was registered to Huff's email address and linked to a First National Bank account under her name. After this, another inmate told detectives that they had received tobacco and marijuana on at least one occasion and transferred funds to Huff's Cash App account to pay for it.
Huff currently faces felony charges for distributing contraband, criminal use of a communication device and possession of a controlled substance with an intent to manufacture or deliver. She also faces misdemeanor charges for obstructing justice and possession of a controlled substance.
One inmate said they asked a family member to send $200 to the account $mrsabb on Cash App. After the payment, a correctional officer gave the inmate tobacco, which is prohibited inside of the jail. Detectives were able to verify this with the family member, whose own app confirmed the transfer was made.
Search warrants showed that this account was registered to a Lisa Abercrombie, who investigators learned is Raphael's wife. During a later interview with detectives, Abercrombie stated the account was made without his wife's knowledge and she was not aware he was sneaking contraband into the prison.
Abercrombie faces a misdemeanor charge for obstructing the administration of law functions.
This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Three Beaver County correctional officers accused of providing contraband to inmates
