Former Inmate Sentenced for Role in Scheme To Use Drones To Smuggle Contraband into Fort Dix Federal Prison
On February 10, 2022, the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey sentenced Johansel Moronta to 5 months of incarceration, 1 year of supervised release, and a $25 court assessment. Moronta was also sentenced to 14 months of incarceration, to be served consecutively, for violating the terms of his prior supervised release. On January 10, 2022, Moronta pleaded guilty to possessing and obtaining contraband while in prison and violating the terms of a supervised release for assault. The investigation revealed that around October 30, 2018, Moronta, while an inmate at Fort Dix Federal Prison, helped coordinate the drone delivery of a package containing tobacco, cell phone chargers, and USB charging cables into an inmate housing unit at the prison. Moronta removed bolts to an access hatch leading to the housing unit roof so he could try to retrieve the contraband.
DOT-OIG is conducting this investigation with Department of Justice OIG and the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations.