A former corrections officer from the Burlington County Jail in Mount Holly stands accused of sneaking marijuana and tobacco into the facility and selling it to an inmate for money.
Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia L. Bradshaw identified the officer as 27-year-old Abraham Olmedia of Burlington Township.
The inquiry into the smuggling operations was initiated after another officer detected the smell of burnt tobacco from a jail cell.
It was discovered that Olmedia, who resigned shortly after the investigation began, had been trading marijuana and tobacco for payments from a relative of the inmate in question.
The former officer had worked at the jail for slightly over two years.
Charges against Olmedia include Official Misconduct (Second Degree), Conspiracy to Commit Official Misconduct (Second Degree), and Providing Contraband to an Inmate (Disorderly Persons Offense).
Olmedia was apprehended at the Burlington County Courthouse and subsequently released. He is due for a Superior Court hearing next month, with the case expected to go before a grand jury for potential indictment.
The BCPO Special Investigations Unit spearheaded the investigation, working alongside the Burlington County Jail Internal Affairs Unit.
As is customary, Olmedia is presumed innocent until proven guilty.