TDCJ official arrested and charged with bribery
Posted on Jul 22, 2013
Ramonica Whitfield was arrested last week in Lovelady Texas for bribery. She had worked at the Eastham Unit and allegedly was attempting to smuggle marijuana, K2 and two bundles of tobacco into the unit. Ms. Whitfield had been working at the Eastham Unit as a guard for 15 months and according to The Texas Tribune had a salary of $31,1777. Whitfield told investigators that an inmate had given her money to hold which she later destroyed. She said that she later was asked to bring in the contraband because she was unable to return the money. She stated that she met with an unknown female who handed her the contraband. When entering work last week she was subjected to a routine shakedown during which the K2 was found. She told investigators that the other items were in her car.
In Texas bribery is a second-degree felony with a range of punishment between two and twenty years in prison. It should be noted that Ms. Whitfield has been charged with an offense, not convicted. In almost any criminal prosecution the facts and context of actions are complex and it is never possible to reach conclusions based on affidavits submitted by police officers. It will be interesting to follow this story as it develops.