By Forum Staff
On Tuesday, in federal court in Brooklyn, former City Correction Officer Krystle Burrell was sentenced by United States District Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto to 29 months’ imprisonment for accepting nearly $10,000 in bribe payments in exchange for smuggling contraband into Rikers Island. Burrell was employed by the City Department of Corrections (DOC) and worked as a correction officer at Rikers Island.
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While out on bail on other charges, Burrell conspired with Hinds and others to smuggle contraband into the federal Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.
According to court documents and facts presented at today’s sentencing proceeding, Burrell accepted nearly $10,000 in bribes from co-conspirators on behalf of co-defendant Terrae Hinds in exchange for Burrell smuggling contraband into the Anna M. Kross Center on Rikers Island for Hinds. Burrell also accepted payments on behalf of Hinds for narcotics and other contraband so that Hinds could resell the contraband on Rikers Island. After she pleaded guilty in federal court in September 2022 to bribery charges and while on bail pending sentencing, Burrell conspired with Hinds and others to smuggle contraband into the federal Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn where Hinds had been transferred and was being held on federal charges. In March 2023, Burrell was charged with the additional crime of smuggling contraband into a federal prison. Burrell pleaded guilty to smuggling contraband into a federal detention facility and she was also sentenced today for this additional crime.
“Bringing contraband into a correctional facility undermines the security of the institution and threatens the residents and the officers tasked with keeping them safe,” said City Police Commissioner Edward Caban.
Hinds previously pleaded guilty to bribing Burrell and is currently awaiting sentencing.
