A Mercer County correctional officer pleaded guilty Tuesday to taking bribes in exchange for smuggling contraband into the Mercer County Correctional Center.
Under the plea deal, prosecutors will recommend that Tyree Hobbs, a 42-year-old from Hamilton, face 364 days in prison and be barred from serving in public office.
Hobbes was suspended in 2022, when an investigation found he had been accepting bribes since November 2017. The contraband Hobbs carried into the jail included narcotics and tobacco; the packages were sealed outside, and he hid them in locations accessible to the inmates.
Attorney General Jennifer Davenport said Office of Public Integrity and Accountability prosecutors led the case.
“Corrections officers have challenging jobs that are integral to public safety, and the vast majority of them fulfill their roles with integrity,” Davenport said. “But in this case, the defendant admitted to exploiting his access to a correctional facility for personal gain. Any public employee that betrays the public trust in this way should not be working in government, and this resolution ensures that.”
Hobbs’ sentencing is scheduled for July 17.