Former California Correctional Officer Pleads Guilty to Planting Prison Contraband for Overtime, Promotion

Avelino Ramirez, a former California correctional officer, pleaded guilty to wire fraud for a scheme in which he smuggled and planted contraband such as drugs, tobacco, cell phones, and weapons inside San Quentin State Prison and the California Medical Facility, only to then claim to have discovered these items himself. This fraudulent activity, carried out from October 2021 to February 2024, was designed to boost his performance record and secure a promotion to K-9 sergeant, which he received in September 2022. Ramirez also inflated his salary by claiming approximately $8,200 in overtime pay related to the contraband searches and subsequent false reports. Prosecutors revealed that he sometimes mixed narcotics with salt, sugar, or lawn trimmings to disguise the illicit items. Ramirez faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine, with sentencing scheduled for September 18. He is currently out on bond awaiting the judge's final decision.