Federal prison officer sentenced for giving favors to Arizona inmate she had relationship with
Feb 13, 2024, 8:00 PM
A former officer at a federal prison in Arizona was sentenced to 18 months in prison for accepting a bribe, prosecutors announced on Feb. 13, 2024. (Pexels Photo)
(Pexels Photo)
PHOENIX – A former officer at a federal prison in Arizona will be spending time behind bars after engaging in a sexual relationship with an inmate and giving him favors, prosecutors announced Tuesday.
Heather Alissa Neff of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, was sentenced last week to 18 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, the U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Arizona said in a press release.
Neff, 38, previously pleaded guilty to accepting a bribe by a public official.
What did former federal prison officer do?
Neff worked as a corrections officer at the Federal Correctional Institution in Safford from 2016 to 2019. She regularly interacted with inmates as part of her job.
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Prosecutors say she was given cash in exchange for a stream of benefits after entering into an inappropriate sexual relationship with an inmate in early 2019.
Neff introduced contraband into the facility, including nutritional supplements, loose tobacco, hygiene items and rum. She also took items from the inmate and mailed them, circumventing the prison’s security system.
In addition, Neff provided nonpublic Bureau of Prisons information about other prisoners to the inmate. One of the inmates she provided information about was later assaulted, according to prosecutors.
