File Photo
Patterson accepted at least $34,090 in bribes from co-conspirators in exchange for Patterson’s smuggling contraband into the Robert N. Davoren Center on Rikers Island for inmate.
By Michael V. Cusenza
Former City Correction Officer Katrina Patterson has been sentenced to a year and a day in prison for accepting more than $34,000 in bribe payments in exchange for smuggling contraband onto Rikers Island, federal prosecutors announced Tuesday.
According to court documents and facts presented at Tuesday’s sentencing proceeding, Patterson, a Jamaica resident, accepted at least $34,090 in bribes from co-conspirators in exchange for Patterson’s smuggling contraband into the Robert N. Davoren Center on Rikers Island for inmate (and co-defendant) Michael Ross. Ross, a Bloods gang member who was incarcerated at the time on unrelated offenses, arranged for the bribes to be sent to Patterson. The City Department of Correction subsequently located narcotics and cell phones in Ross’ cell. Law enforcement also recovered Patterson’s text messages, including messages where a co-conspirator told Patterson, 32, that some of the contraband would be “4 black joints in 1 paper,” and Patterson responded, “it better be wrapped so many times I don’t want to smell it.” Patterson also discussed with her co-conspirator the need to delete their text messages.
Photo Courtesy of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of NY
“The flow of contraband into our jails is a serious problem which puts inmates, fellow officers and potentially the public at risk,” Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said in April 2022 when he announced the charges.
Ross previously pleaded guilty in July 2022 to bribing Patterson and was sentenced Tuesday to 18 months’ imprisonment to run consecutive to the 16 years to life sentence he is serving in state custody for an unrelated conviction.
“The defendants, public servants on the City’s payroll, allegedly smuggled contraband, including cell phones and drugs, to incarcerated gang members at Rikers Island. The flow of contraband into our jails is a serious problem which puts inmates, fellow officers and potentially the public at risk,” Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said in April 2022 when he announced the charges.
