Press Release
January 26, 2023
Visitor Sentenced to Prison Following Arrest for Introduction of Contraband
SNEADS, Fla. — On Sunday, September 25, 2022, Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) staff observed a visitor passing contraband to an inmate during weekend visitation. The exchange was caught on camera and the involved inmate, Gary Wilson (DC# 467767), surrendered the contraband item, which contained 56 grams of cocaine. Inspector S. Johnson from the Office of the Inspector General arrested Inmate Wilson's visitor, Angela Benjamin and charged her with trafficking in cocaine.
"Weekend visitation is a time for friends and family to spend time together in a safe space, free from dangerous drugs and crime. Taking advantage of this occasion to traffic dangerous narcotics to the inmate population places everyone at risk and will not be tolerated," said Secretary Ricky Dixon. "We commend our staff for their commitment to preventing the introduction of contraband and thank the Office of the Inspector General for their swift response and thorough investigation that led to this arrest. We also thank our partners with the Jackson County Sheriff's Office for their assistance with transport and housing the arrestee in jail."
As a result of her involvement and arrest, Angela Benjamin was found guilty and sentenced to three years in prison and received a substantial fine. FDC staff regard weekend visitation as an integral role in the restoration and rehabilitation of inmates and will not condone any willful disruption to the thousands of visitors who come to spend meaningful time with their loved ones.
###
As Florida's largest state agency, and the third largest state prison system in the country, FDC employs 24,000 members, incarcerates 80,000 inmates and supervises nearly 146,000 offenders in the community.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
Inspiring success by transforming one life at a time. Visit our website at http://www.dc.state.fl.us.
