PRISON SMUGGLING: A Corrections Officer, a Food Vendor, and $17,000 Dollars

A former correction officer at Woodbourne Correctional Facility is facing multiple felony charges after prosecutors say he accepted thousands of dollars to smuggle methamphetamine and cell phones into the Sullivan County prison.

Sullivan County District Attorney Brian P. Conaty announced Friday that a grand jury has unsealed several indictments following a lengthy public corruption investigation involving the state correctional facility.

According to prosecutors, former Woodbourne correction officer Kyle Raven is accused of abusing his position at the facility by repeatedly bringing methamphetamine and cell phones into the prison at the request of inmates in exchange for cash payments.

Prosecutors say Amy Preston, also known as Amy Stoughtenger, allegedly helped facilitate the operation by using her company, Freedom Foods, a vendor for the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS), to disguise payments connected to the smuggling operation.

/Sullivan County DA

The investigation also resulted in four additional indictments against inmates accused of possessing dangerous contraband that authorities believe was brought into the prison through the alleged scheme.

/Sullivan County DA

Investigators allege Raven received more than $17,000 through cash payments and Cash App transfers from inmate Andrew Stoughtenger and Amy Preston in exchange for introducing the contraband into the facility.

The investigation was conducted jointly by the Sullivan County District Attorney's Office, the New York State Police, and the DOCCS Office of Special Investigations. Officials say the case began after correction officers confiscated multiple cell phones from inmates, leading investigators to uncover evidence of the alleged conspiracy.

Announcing the indictments, Conaty stressed that the alleged actions of those charged do not reflect the thousands of correction officers and civilian employees who serve the state's prison system.

"To be clear, the NYS Department of Corrections is a necessary and laudable institution established to protect the public from dangerous and violent criminals. In this pursuit, DOCCS employs thousands of brave, dedicated employees ranging from sworn correctional officers to civilian support staff. It is for this reason, it cuts the deepest in times like this when a Sullivan County grand jury unseals an indictment alleging a highly calculated and orchestrated conspiracy among a sworn correctional officer, several inmates, and a civilian to smuggle illegal narcotics and other contraband into the Woodbourne state correctional facility for distribution to inmates in exchange for money. Cell phones are, indeed, dangerous contraband because such possession subverts the prison monitoring system and may be used to facilitate an escape plan, injure fellow inmates or correctional officers, or further carry out criminal activity from inside the institution," DA Conaty said.

"I wish to thank the New York State Police and the DOCCS OSI for diligently uncovering this conspiracy and quickly pursuing all possible leads to further this investigation. These indictments highlight that this Office is committed to rooting out public corruption wherever it occurs."