A former correctional officer in Prince George’s County, Maryland, has pleaded guilty to charges related to smuggling and distributing drugs to a prisoner she was in a relationship with.
Danielle Dominique Smith, 34, of Waldorf, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance in court on Friday. Smith was employed at the Prince George’s County Department of Corrections for 13 years, according to a news release from the Maryland Department of Justice.
Smith developed a romantic and sexual relationship with an inmate at PGDOC beginning in June 2021, the release said. In exchange for money from inmates’ relatives and friends on the outside, Smith conspired with her inmate boyfriend to distribute Suboxone, one of the main medications used to treat opioid addiction, and the synthetic cannabinoid K2.
Officials said Smith and the inmate discussed the distribution of the drugs on recorded calls, referring to the controlled substances as food products that she later brought in on special diet trays.
After conducting targeted searches of the inmates’ cells, items containing the contraband were found on separate occasions.
In February 2022, Smith took preapproved leave from work while remaining in contact with the inmate via phone calls. In a call on March 2 of that same year, Smith could be heard saying she would bring him “the meals.” She was suspended later that same day when she arrived at work.
Smith faces up to six months of house arrest if her plea agreement with prosecutors is accepted by the court. Her sentencing is set for Oct. 13.