Ex-correctional officer planted drugs, weapons for job promotion: DOJ

(KRON) — A Vallejo man and former K-9 sergeant at California state correctional facilities admitted in federal court to planting prison contraband items — including narcotics, cell phones and weapons — that he pretended to discover, announced federal prosecutors on Thursday.

Avelino Ramirez, 52, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of wire fraud tied to the scheme, said the Northern District of California Department of Justice. From 2013 to 2022, Ramirez worked as an Investigative Services Unit K-9 Officer at California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation at San Quentin State Prison. In 2022, he was then promoted as K-9 sergeant to the California Medical Facility in Vacaville, Calif.

“From October 2021 to February 2024, Ramirez engaged in a scheme to smuggle and then plant contraband in common areas of San Quentin State Prison and the California Medical Facility, which he would then pretend to discover,” said U.S. Attorney Craig H. Missakian in a news release. “Ramirez did so in order to hold himself out as a successful K-9 officer with the hope that it would help him obtain a promotion to K-9 sergeant.  The contraband items Ramirez planted included drugs, such as methamphetamine, marijuana, and cocaine; drug paraphernalia; tobacco; cell phones; and weapons.”

Prosecutors say Ramirez even went as far as mixing the drugs he planted in the prisons with salt and/or sugar and combined the marijuana he planted in the prisons with lawn trimmings. 

“Ramirez also sought to inflate his salary by claiming overtime related to searches where contraband was recovered pursuant to his fraudulent scheme and writing reports of these false discoveries,” added Missakian. “In total, Ramirez fraudulently obtained approximately $8,200 in overtime pay.”

Ramirez was released on bond as he awaits his sentencing hearing on Sept. 18. He faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.