The inmate was just one of a group of inmates, civilians and two prison employees accused of facilitating a large-scale smuggling operation into the prison
TRENTON - One of the eight New Jersey State Prison inmates originally accused of participating in a large-scale tobacco smuggling operation into the prison was sentenced for his involvement Friday.
Mitchell West was given a 4-year sentence Friday after he was convicted of financial facilitation of criminal activity.
West, who is in prison on an unrelated attempted murder charge, is accused of directing payments to Eric Dawson, a former corrections officer at the prison in 2013.
Those payments were connected to a drug smuggling operation in which Dawson played a key role, prosecutors have said.
Details revealed in tobacco smuggling ring
Dawson was accused of taking monetary bribes to smuggle tobacco into the prison for inmates after a tobacco ban went into effect three years ago. He was indicted on charges of bribery and official misconduct in 2014.
An investigation into Dawson's activity in 2013 revealed a drug smuggling web that extended to inmates, civilians and another prison employee, Keith Harris, according to prosecutors.
Harris was found guilty of bribery after a trial last month.
West was just one of eight inmates and 10 civilians initially accused of participating in the operation.
The sentence won't affect West's time, his attorney said Friday. The 4-year sentence it is scheduled to run concurrent to his current sentence for attempted murder. He is up for parole for the attempted murder sentence in 2030, his attorney said.
Anna Merriman may be reached at amerriman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @anna_merriman Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.