SEATTLE: A Monroe prison guard was arrested at work Wednesday and faces accusations of accepting bribes for smuggling contraband into the Monroe Correctional Complex.
Michael W. Bowden, 31, of Everett, is charged with three counts of extortion under color of official right and one count of attempted distribution of methamphetamine. The U.S. Attorney’s Office says he is accused of smuggling, among other things, what was believed to be methamphetamine into the prison.
He was arrested after a six-month FBI investigation that used confidential sources inside and outside the prison, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
A criminal complaint says Bowden took bribes of $1,000 to smuggle contraband. On three occasions from July to September 2016, he is accused of smuggling tobacco, a portable memory chip known as a SIM card and what was believed to be methamphetamine.
In each case, an inmate turned items over to investigators.
Bowden is to make his first court appearance in federal court in Seattle on Thursday.
Extortion under color of official right is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Attempted distribution of methamphetamine is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.
