Gerald Oquendo
MAYS LANDING – Hon. Donna M. Tailor Jan. 23 sentenced a former corrections officer to three years in state prison after he pleaded guilty to official misconduct when he smuggled cell phones in the Atlantic County Justice Facility.
Gerald Oquendo, 35, of Mays Landing, will not be eligible for parole for two years and is barred from public employment in the future. Oquendo waived appeal as part of the disposition.
Oquendo pleaded guilty to official misconduct on Oct. 10, 2023. The case involved two family members of an inmate working with Oquendo to smuggle cellular phones into the jail where the inmate was housed in exchange for money. The two family members and the inmate were captured on recorded conversations discussing the crime, with video surveillance capturing Oquendo bringing an object to the inmate.
“The defendant, a public servant entrusted with the care and custody of inmates within the Atlantic County Justice Facility, jeopardized the safety and security of the staff and inmates when he violated his oath of office and smuggled cellular devices, creating the possibility that inmates could engage in criminal activity from inside the walls of an otherwise secure facility,” Prosecutor William Reynolds said upon hearing of the sentence.
This prosecution was the result of a cooperative investigation by the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office’s Professional Standards Unit and the Atlantic County Justice Facility. Additional assistance was provided from the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Atlantic City Office.
