A former Federal Prison employee has been slapped with a two-year prison sentence for accepting hefty bribes from an inmate he was supposed to be overseeing, according to federal prosecutors. William S. Tidwell, who played roles as a correctional counselor at Federal Medical Center Devens in Massachusetts, crossed ethical lines, pocketing over $90,000 in kickbacks and securing a $50,000 sham loan.
Caught in a web of deceit, Tidwell, 50, from Keene, N.H., didn't just stop at taking money – he lied to a bank and committed identity theft to cover it up, as per details described by the U.S. Department of Justice. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young didn't go easy on him, sentencing the counselor to a stint behind bars and requiring forfeiture and fines totaling over $100,000.
"His corruption goes against BOP’s core mission of assisting offenders to become law-abiding citizens," Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy said in a statement. Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Boston Division, chimed in as well, noting Tidwell "abandoned his duty" in a costly turn of corruption.
Trusted as a Correctional Counselor since 2014, Tidwell was in prime position to uphold the law at the correctional facility, not exploit it. Instead, starting back in 2018, he cozied up with Individual 1, a high-net-worth inmate, raking in tens of thousands through a supposed property management scheme. Making things worse, in seeking funding for a house, Tidwell spun a web of lies purporting a $50,000 loan was a gift – a claim he backed with forged documents, according to the Department of Justice.
Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Northeast Region, Ryan T. Geach, pulled no punches, stating, "Today's sentencing sends a clear message that this kind of conduct will not be tolerated." Tidwell's employment with the BOP, dating back to 2000, was terminated last October following his guilty plea. His fall from grace serves as a stark warning against breaking the trust inherent in public service roles.
