Captive Market
A correctional officer at the Cook County, Ill., Jail and a Chicago public school teacher have been charged with allegedly trying to smuggle drugs into the jail in separate incidents.
Kenneth Crawford, a 33-year-old correctional officer, was arrested on March 16th after investigators received a tip that he was smuggling drugs into the jail. Crawford, who worked in one of the maximum security areas, was allegedly caught with 55 grams of marijuana inside one of his shoes. A search of his vehicle turned up another packet of marijuana, police say.
An inmate in the jail allegedly asked Crawford to smuggle drugs for him, offering $300 cash as payment. Crawford has been suspended without pay pending a hearing. He has also been charged with felony possession of contraband in a penal institution, possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver, and official misconduct.
Meanwhile, David Cambero, 61, who is a Spanish teacher at the Consuela B York High School in Chicago, was arrested in a separate investigation. He allegedly was smuggling drugs to inmates in exchange for cash, hiding cocaine in his school supplies and bringing them into the jail. Cambero was approached by an undercover officer on March 17th after the officer received a tip as to Cambero's alleged drug smuggling activities.
Cambero has been placed on administrative leave due to the allegations against him; Chicago Public School officials are seeking to fire him. He has been charged with felony possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver.
Crawford:
Cambero:
Chicago jail inmates sure do seem to have a lot of cash.
Source: Chicago Breaking News
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Most Recent Comments
Posted by Bob in Illinois on March 29, 2010:
Yeah, a former Warden and Director of the Illinois Department of Corrections was a FORMER Chicagoland gang member.
Posted by Kathi, Florida on April 3, 2010:
They let inmates in Chicago have real money??????
Here in Florida, at all levels, city, county and state, inmates are not allowed to have real cash. Their money, whether their own, or sent to them by friends and family, goes into an account they can use for commissary, etc.
All letters are opened before distributing to the inmates. The only way you can send them money is by mail, in a money order, which they sign off, then the jail cashes and deposits to their account. If they get caught with actual cash, they get in trouble big time!
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It's Chicago! Of course they have real money! How else can they bribe the staff?! -rc