U.S. attorney cracks down on contraband inside federal prison

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - A United States Attorney cracks down on the possession of contraband in prisons to protect the safety of employees.

Joseph Hogsett, U.S. Attorney promised Wednesday to protect seven hundred employees who work inside the Terre Haute federal prison.

The announcement came after the sentencing of four inmates with unrelated cases who were caught with either drugs or weapons inside the prison.

Hogsett says it’s all in an effort to protect those who work inside the prison by sending a message to federal inmates that criminal activity will not go unpunished.

“If they are successfully smuggled into the population they do become power because that's a currency which can be used to barter or trade. So whether it's the smuggling of narcotics or smuggling of weapons, there are important issues to address and investigate,” said Hogsett.

Hogsett says his office is taking a no tolerance approach towards possession of weapons in the federal prison system due to the danger it causes for corrections officers.