In Brooklyn, a federal jail is grappling with serious issues, as demonstrated by the recent criminal charges against 23 inmates. Allegations range from smuggling weapons disguised as snacks to a violent stabbing incident involving a man convicted of a notable hip-hop figure’s murder. The charges were highlighted by federal prosecutors in their efforts to address ongoing problems of violence and disorder at the Metropolitan Detention Center, the sole federal jail in New York City, housing nearly 1,200 inmates, including Sean “Diddy” Combs, Luigi Mangione, and Sam Bankman-Fried.
Among those charged, 15 inmates are facing accusations related to six distinct episodes of stabbings, slashings, or beatings. Notably, six individuals were implicated in a brawl on February 22 that left several inmates injured, including Karl Jordan Jr., linked to the 2002 murder of Run-D.M.C.’s Jam Master Jay. Jordan, referred to as John Doe 1 in legal filings, suffered 18 back stab wounds. Other victims included nine inmates with stab or slash wounds and five individuals, among them Jordan, required hospitalization, as detailed by prosecutors.
These arrests follow a comprehensive October sweep in the jail, during which an array of law enforcement agencies collaborated to seize illegal substances, makeshift weapons, and unauthorized electronic devices. The Bureau of Prisons, alongside the Justice Department inspector general and other local, state, and federal entities, conducted the operation.
Five inmates face charges for attempting to infiltrate the jail with contraband using a rope to transport items from outside. Correctional officers managed to apprehend four individuals in June, as they reeled a contraband-laden rope through a recreation room window. Items attached included suspected suboxone, marijuana, a scalpel, a phone charger, lighters, and cigarettes, according to prosecutors.
One October arrest involved an inmate caught with 21 ceramic blades concealed in a bag of Doritos, which he attempted to move to his shirt in the jail’s visiting room. Additionally, a previously charged ex-correctional officer tried to smuggle vacuum-sealed bags of marijuana and cigarettes in January. Separately, another individual, not incarcerated at the facility, faced charges for providing contraband to inmates, following the discovery of a package on the jail roof that contained cellphones, marijuana, and alcohol. Prosecutors assert inmates attempted to retrieve the contraband with a rope.
The Bureau of Prisons is actively working to resolve these issues at the Brooklyn jail, where detainees, their advocates, and the judiciary consistently cite “dangerous, barbaric conditions,” marked by pervasive violence. An Urgent Action Team, comprising senior Bureau of Prisons officials, is concentrated on rectifying staffing and maintenance challenges at the facility. Their efforts involve regular site visits and weekly meetings to tackle ongoing concerns.
In September, federal prosecutors brought charges against nine inmates related to jail attacks, while a correctional officer was prosecuted for firing at a vehicle during an unauthorized high-speed chase. The following month, an inmate faced charges over a murder-for-hire scheme that resulted in a woman’s fatal shooting near a New York City club.
An investigation has exposed deep-rooted issues within the Bureau of Prisons, an organization encompassing over 30,000 staff, 158,000 inmates across 122 facilities, and an $8 billion operating budget. Findings reveal unchecked criminal activities by employees, numerous escapes, persistent violence, fatalities, and critical staffing gaps impairing emergency responses, including those involving inmate violence and suicides.
