The prison contraband scandal at a Tompkins County youth detention facility south of Ithaca is growing with the arrests of three inmates.
The State Inspector General's office and the New York State Police confirm to CNY Central's Jim Kenyon that the three juvenile offenders at the MacCormick Secure Center are accused of illegally obtaining cell phones which were smuggled into the facility by youth division aides. On Tuesday State Police charged four employees at MacCormick with purchasing cell phones and providing them to at least one inmate. A fourth resident at MacCormick, 18 year old Julian Blazer was arrested on October 26th.
All 8 individuals are charged with felony Promoting Prison Contraband which can carry a prison sentence of up to 7 years.
Sources tells Kenyon that the inmates were using the cell phones to access Facebook and the internet in an effort to conduct criminal activity outside the facility.
The MacCormick Secure Center is operated by the State Office of Children and Family Services. It houses juveniles who were convicted in adult court of committing violent felony crimes.
