2 Westchester Residents Accused Of Corruption At Rikers: Feds

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY — Two Westchester residents are among six people charged with federal crimes arising from their involvement in corruption at the New York City jail.

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced Tuesday the complaints charging former Rikers Island correction officers Carlos Rivera, Chantal de los Santos and Stephanie Davila; former Rikers Island program counselor Shanequa Washington; former Rikers Island contractor Kenneth Webster and former Rikers Island inmate Kristopher Francisco with federal crimes.

Williams said that Rikers Island is less safe, for inmates and officers, when corrections officers and others in positions of public trust accept bribes to smuggle contraband.

“As alleged, the defendants in these cases engaged in corruption for their own enrichment,” he said. “We will not tolerate any breach of trust or corruption that jeopardizes the well-being of inmates and staff.”

Rivera, 27, of Yonkers, was a correction officer assigned to the North Infirmary Command at Rikers. Prosecutors said that, from December 2021 through February 2022, he accepted bribes from an inmate and smuggled contraband, including oxycodone and marijuana, into the jail.

He was charged with conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, which carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, and conspiracy to distribute narcotics and controlled substances, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

Prosecutors said Francisco, 29, of Ossining, then an inmate at the Anna M. Kross Center jail facility, and former correction officer Davila, 30, of Brooklyn, who was assigned to the facility, conspired to smuggle contraband, including fentanyl, marijuana and synthetic cannabinoids, into the facility between July and August 2021.

They were each charged with conspiracy to commit bribery, which carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison; conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and conspiracy to distribute narcotics and controlled substances, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

Francisco is currently in state custody, authorities said.

Also charged were de los Santos, 30, of the Bronx; Washington, 39, of Brooklyn, and Webster, 42 of the Bronx.