Three former corrections officers indicted on cocaine charges

GLADES COUNTY, Fla. - Three individuals who formerly worked as corrections officers at Moore Haven Correctional Facility in Glades County have been indicted on charges of conspiracy and attempting to possess cocaine with the intent to distribute it.

According to officials, the defendants, Dameyenoe Francis, Jerry Thicklin, and Derrick Jackson each face a mandatory minimum of ten years in federal prison on each count, up to a $4,000,000 fine and a lifetime supervised released. 

The U.S. Department of Justice released a statement saying, the investigation involved undercover FBI agents represented to the defendants as members of a purported drug trafficking group, interested in having the defendants protect and facilitate the undercover agents' drug trafficking operation in exchange for cash payments. 

Each of the defendants was paid $5,000 to carry multi-kilogram quantities of sham cocaine from Miami to West Palm Beach.  No actual cocaine was smuggled inside of Moore Haven Correctional Facility. 

Wilfredo R. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida commended the investigative efforts of the FBI and Palm Beach County Sherrif's Office and voiced his appreciation of the Florida Department of Corrections for their cooperation.