Former Religious Services Assistant Admits to Smuggling Contraband into Federal Prison

On April 30, 2025, a former BOP Religious Services Assistant previously assigned to the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Three Rivers, in Texas, pleaded guilty to one count of bribery of a public official. Ashley Garza pleaded guilty in the Southern District of Texas. According to the factual statement in support of the guilty plea, from on or about July 26, 2022, through on or about January 28, 2023, Garza smuggled contraband including cigarettes, synthetic opioids, and other drugs into FCI Three Rivers in exchange for approximately $11,400. The investigation is being conducted by the OIG’s South Central Region, the Cyber Investigations Office, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.