Queens Defender Lawyer Arrested Smuggling THC-Laced Papers Into Rikers Island

Bernardo Caceres, a public defender with the Queens Defenders nonprofit, was arrested at Rikers Island for attempting to smuggle over 130 sheets of paper soaked with THC, the psychoactive chemical in marijuana, into the Otis Bantum Correctional Center during a client visit. A drug-sniffing dog alerted correction officers to the contraband hidden in a yellow legal-sized envelope, which was confirmed through further testing by the Correction Intelligence Section. Caceres was charged with promoting prison contraband, a felony offense, while a second attorney who accompanied him was not arrested as they were deemed unaware of the contents. This incident adds to the turmoil surrounding Queens Defenders, whose founder Lori Zeno and another lawyer, Rashad Ruhani, were recently charged with fraud for allegedly embezzling tens of thousands of dollars from the organization. Correction officials praised their K-9 unit for preventing the smuggling attempt and emphasized the serious consequences for anyone caught bringing contraband into jails. The arrest has reignited calls from the Correction Officers Benevolent Association for implementing electronic scanning of detainee mail to prevent such incidents in the future.