Former BOP Correctional Officer Sentenced for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm and Obstruction of Justice

On December 16, 2022, a former BOP Correctional Officer assigned to the Federal Detention Center Seattle/Tacoma in Washington was sentenced to 1 year and 1 day of imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release for one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and one count of obstruction of justice associated with witness tampering.  Joshua Shuemake was sentenced in the Western District of Washington.  According to the evidence presented at trial, on or about June 18, 2021, Shuemake, knowing he was subject to a court order issued on May 4, 2021, in King County Superior Court, which met the requirements of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(8)(A)-(C) (i.e., a restraining order related to an intimate partner), knowingly possessed, in and affecting interstate and foreign commerce, a firearm.  In addition, from on or about June 18, 2021, through on or about October 13, 2021, Shuemake attempted to corruptly persuade, and did corruptly persuade, another BOP official, who resigned during the course of the OIG investigation, to provide false information and withhold true information concerning Shuemake’s possession of a firearm.  The investigation was conducted by the OIG’s Seattle Domicile Office and the FBI, with forensic assistance from the OIG’s Cyber Investigations Office.