A 35-year-old corrections officer from Parma is facing federal charges for allegedly smuggling drugs into Lorain Correctional Institution, according to U.S. District Court Northern District of Ohio records.
Daryl Robert Gus is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute (a) controlled substance, court records state.
Authorities said an investigation into the matter started when the prison sent a tip to federal authorities last December about a jailer possibly smuggling contraband into the facility for an inmate.
During a review of various phone recordings, investigators discovered a call where an inmate arranged with others to have drugs brought into the prison by the corrections officer.
Last week, investigators performing surveillance on the guard's home witnessed a woman pull up to the residence in a silver Acura, get out and drop suspected drugs contained inside a light-colored plastic bag into a yard decoration and leave. A short time later, the guard went outside and retrieved the bag.
The vehicle's registration came back to the mother of the inmate, court records state.
The following morning, authorities detained the guard when he arrived at work. During a search, authorities found 31 grams of suspected crystal meth, 70 packets of buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual films as well as numerous cigarettes. Court records state the guard hid the drugs inside a bag of chips and a microwave pizza box.
Court records state that the guard told authorities he was paid $2,000 each time he smuggled in the contraband and had made around $10,000 doing so.
The guard has a court hearing scheduled for Thursday afternoon.
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