New charges filed in Jackson County jail bribery schemes

Federal authorities have filed additional charges against two former Jackson County corrections officers and three others in an alleged conspiracy to smuggle cellphones, cigarettes and drugs into the Jackson County Detention Center.

A criminal complaint against four of the five was unsealed June 26, shortly after about 200 law enforcement and state corrections officers searched the jail in downtown Kansas City for contraband.

Charged in the two new indictments, which replace the original complaint, are former corrections officers Andre L. Dickerson, 26, of Kansas City, and Jalee C. Fuller, 29, of Independence; inmate Carlos L. Hughley, 32, of Kansas City; and Janikkia L. Carter, 36, and Marion L. Byers, 35, both of Kansas City.

Byers was not part of original criminal complaint filed under seal on June 21.

Dickerson is charged in a four-count indictment, while charges against Hughley, Carter, Byers and Fuller are contained in a separate 10-count indictment.

Dickerson is accused of taking hundreds of dollars in bribes to smuggle in cellphones and other contraband to inmates at the detention center. He once allegedly offered to give one inmate the exclusive right to traffic in cigarettes, drugs and cellphones in exchange for a $2,500 monthly fee.

Fuller, Carter, Hughley and Byers are accused in a separate scheme to smuggle a cellphone, charger and 15 Xanax pills to an inmate at the detention center, according to the U.S. district attorney’s office.

This story was originally published July 18, 2017 at 6:00 PM with the headline "New charges filed in Jackson County jail bribery schemes."