Mississippi prison guard accused of taking bribe

Published 4:07 pm Monday, July 20, 2020

A federal prison guard in Mississippi is accused of taking bribes to get forbidden items to an inmate.

U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst said in a news release Monday that 28-year-old Wesley Hughes of Greenwood was a guard at the Yazoo City Federal Correction Center during the 11 months covered by the indictment.

The federal court indictment handed up July 14 does not say how much money he is accused of taking or what “prohibited objects” he’s accused of passing on between April 1, 2018 and March 1, 2019.

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Hughes’ arraignment was scheduled Monday in Jackson. Online court records do not show an attorney for him.

Yazoo City is about 40 miles north of Jackson.

Bribery carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. The indictment states that prosecutors plan to ask for forfeiture of all proceeds if Hughes is convicted.