WEST CHESTER, PA — An investigation conducted by the Chester County Prison and the Chester County Detectives resulted in the arrest Tuesday of 27-year-old Antoine Williams, a correctional officer at Chester County Prison and Philadelphia resident, for smuggling and distributing illegal substances. Williams faces multiple felony charges, including possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance. Chester County District Attorney, Deb Ryan, emphasized that no one is above the law and that the office will ensure accountability.
Chester County Acting Warden Howard Holland said, “Prison procedures led to the discovery of the distribution of illegal substances and as soon as it was confirmed, staff gathered information on how it could have entered the prison. That information was immediately turned over to the Chester County Detectives for investigation. I am proud of the team here at the prison for acting quickly on this matter.”
The criminal complaint alleges that on June 25, 2023, inmate #1 at the Chester County Prison advised a correctional officer that the defendant Antoine Williams has been bringing drugs into the prison by hiding them in small trash bag rolls. The inmate informed the correctional officer that his former cellmate, Jonathan Aguilera, received Suboxone from the defendant and in return the defendant was paid on a cash app by another person.
Later that day a search of the entire Chester County Prison L-block was conducted. Correctional officers found a roll of small trash bags in Aguilera’s cell. Aguilera submitted a urine sample that tested positive for Buprenorphine, also known as Suboxone.
On June 27, 2023, a lieutenant at the Chester County Prison spoke with inmate #2, who advised that the defendant distributes Suboxone, tobacco, and K-2 to inmates on L-block by placing the drugs in a glove or small dark trash bags. K-2 is a synthetic designer drug that is intended to mimic THC. Inmate #2 stated the defendant is paid using a cash app, and the defendant uses Aguilera to further distribute the illegal substances to other inmates.
On June 30, 2023, detectives reviewed the Chester County Prison security videos which showed the defendant in the office area with what appeared to be a roll of toilet paper and trash bags. Later in the video, the defendant is seen placing the roll of trash bags on cell bars on L-block.
On June 30, 2023, Chester County Detectives searched the defendant’s cell phone number through a cash app search engine and found that the defendant uses a cash app with the username of “Ant W, $antlv46.”
On July 10, 2023, detectives met with Aguilera who stated the defendant had brought Suboxone, marijuana, and Percocet into the Chester County Prison on numerous occasions. Aguilera said that he purchased Suboxone from the defendant between April 2023 and June 2023. The defendant charged Aguilera $50.00 per strip of Suboxone. A relative of Aguilera’s sent payment for the illegal substance through the cash app. Aguilera stated that the defendant had given him multiple cash app accounts in order to receive payments. Screenshots of the accounts were provided to detectives.
A search warrant was executed for cash app records to Block, Inc. On September 15, 2023, detectives received records that indicated nine different cash app accounts were related to the defendant. The cash app account with the username $antlv46, was identified with the name Antoine Williams.
From June 5, 2023-June 23, 2023, there were numerous cash app payments made between Aguilera’s relative and the associates of the defendant who would send the payments to the defendant, ranging from $50.00 to $400.00.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for October 18, 2023. Bail was set at $150,000 unsecured by Magisterial District Judge Kovaleski.
Chester County Detectives are the investigators. ADA Jessica Acito is the assigned prosecutor.
If you or anyone you know suffers from a substance use disorder, contact law enforcement for help. The Law Enforcement Treatment Initiative (LETI) lets people with substance use disorders use local police to be connected to treatment at no cost.
Information, a criminal complaint, or an arrest is not a declaration of guilt. A suspect, arrestee, or defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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