MONROE — A corrections officer is facing four federal felony charges after a months-long investigation into allegations that he’s been taking bribes to smuggle methamphetamine, chewing tobacco and other contraband into the prison here.
Michael W. Bowden, 31, was arrested Wednesday after being charged with three counts of extortion and one count of attempted distribution of methamphetamine.
Bowden has worked as an officer at the Monroe Correctional Complex since 2013. He was expected to make a first appearance in U.S. District Court in Seattle on Thursday.
FBI special agent Matthew Thoresen began investigating in December. Investigators at the prison had earlier been told by an inmate that Bowden was smuggling in chewing tobacco in exchange for cash.
The FBI obtained a cellphone number for Bowden and identified at least five dozen text messages between the corrections officer and a person known to the inmate, a violation of state prison policy, according to court papers filed to establish probable cause for the charges.
A person who knew the inmate and Bowden in late June agreed to secretly work with the FBI. The person claimed to have arranged with Bowden to smuggle chewing tobacco to an inmate multiple times between November and April. The person claimed to be concerned about Bowden allegedly being interested in smuggling hard drugs into the prison. The person also admitted to wanting the prison system to make it easier to visit an inmate serving a lengthy sentence, court papers said.
State prison investigators fielded reports from inmates that Bowden was smuggling in heroin and meth. Officials reported a spike in inmates testing positive for drugs in the Twin Rivers Unit, up from seven in 2015 to 56 this year, with most testing positive for meth, Thoresen wrote.
In three incidents between July and September, federal agents reportedly monitored Bowden being paid up to $1,000 to smuggle into prison chewing tobacco, a cellphone SIM card and what he believed was meth. The inmate who received the materials turned them over to investigators, according to court papers.
Bowden’s interactions were monitored with the person cooperating with investigators outside the prison, too.
He reportedly talked with that person about his past involvement in the Surenos gang, including covering up tattoos that linked him to the group. He allegedly complained about security at the prison, and how much suspicion was directed his way.
Thoresen’s affidavit contains conversations between the corrections officer and the cooperating witness about smuggling and payment and the officer’s own alleged drug use.
Bowden reportedly said he didn’t care about losing his corrections job because he wasn’t well paid. His base salary, excluding overtime, was about $40,000 a year, according to court papers.
He was worried that getting caught smuggling could land him behind bars.
If convicted as charged, Bowden could face up to 20 years in prison.
Scott North: 425-339-3431; north@heraldnet.com.
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