Fresno, California - Ramon Cano, 28, a former correctional officer at the Taft Federal Correctional Facility was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Anthony W. Ishii yesterday to 30 months in prison for conspiracy to provide and possess contraband in prison in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 371 and 201(b)(1), United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.

According to court documents, Cano admitted that between November 2013 and February 27, 2014, he conspired with Gerardo Alvarez-Montanez, 32, an inmate at the Taft Federal Correctional Facility to smuggle cell phones, cash, alcohol and controlled substances into the prison in return for the payment of cash.

In sentencing Cano, Judge Ishii stated that Cano abused his position of trust and compromised the integrity and safety of the Taft Federal Correctional Institution. Judge Ishii went on to state that a correctional officer must be held to a high standard of conduct and failure to uphold this conduct can seriously endanger all those within the confines of that prison. Ramon Cano abused that trust and his acts warranted the sentence imposed.

“Cano’s criminal activity of introducing contraband into the prison placed fellow correctional officers and inmates they supervised at risk,” said FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge John Gliatta. “Those who abuse trusted roles for personal gain threaten the safety and security of the institutions neighboring communities. Such actions also threaten the reputation and safety of all corrections personnel.”

On September 2, 2014, Gerardo Alvarez-Montanez was sentenced by Judge Ishii to 60 months in prison for conspiring with Cano to provide and possess contraband in prison.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Brian K. Delaney is prosecuting the case.