Kingston, NY— Jorge Torres, 28, of Bronx, NY was arrested on a sealed indictment charging him with two counts of Promoting Prison Contraband in the First Degree; he was arraigned in Ulster County Court on February 7, 2025 before the Honorable Bryan E. Rounds.
Defendant is a former Correctional Officer at Eastern Correctional Facility in Napanoch. The indictment charges him with smuggling cell phones and other contraband into the correctional facility while employed as a corrections officer there. The New York State Office of Special Investigations (OSI) determined that the defendant received as much as $1500 for each phone he smuggled in. Approximately 30 cell phones were recovered from incarcerated individuals at Eastern Correctional Facility last year in connection to this investigation. Several indictments are pending in Ulster County Court charging incarcerated individuals with possessing cell phones while at Eastern Correctional. Under New York law and Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, cell phones are “dangerous contraband” as they can be used for multiple nefarious purposes, including planning escape and surprise attacks on correctional officers and others, harassing, intimidating, and threatening victims and witnesses, etc.
According to District Attorney Emmanuel C. Nneji, “Cell phones are among contraband that present a serious threat to the safety and security of our prisons and everyone there; it is imperative for the officers and staff to be able to go home to their loved ones when their work day is done, and for inmates to go home in good health after completing their period of incarceration.”
New York State DOCCS Commissioner Daniel F. Martuscello, III said, “The safety and well-being of staff and incarcerated individuals is our top priority. Every day contraband such as weapons, drugs and cell phones are identified in incoming mail, brought in by visitors and sometimes employees. The introduction of contraband in correctional facilities exacerbates violence and enables illicit drug use. I want to thank the diligent staff at Eastern NY Correctional Facility, DOCCS Office of Special Investigations and the Ulster County District Attorney’s office all of whom worked collaboratively with local law enforcement to bring criminal charges against now former Correction Officer Torres. The facility and community are safer due to their actions.”
Deputy Chief ADA Paul Derohannesian is prosecuting the case. Defendant was represented at arraignment by Assistant Public Defender Joey Drillings.
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