SCI-Mahanoy guard accused of smuggling suboxone into prison
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SHENANDOAH SENTINEL FILE - SCI-Mahanoy, seen from the Shenandoah Heights area.
MOREA – A Lehigh Valley man is out on bail, accused of smuggling a controlled substance into the state prison where he worked.
Rafael Marcelino, 33, of 908 Fairmont Avenue, Whitehall, was charged Monday by the Department of Corrections Bureau of Investigations and Intelligence (BII) with felony contraband, possession with intent to deliver, and misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance.
According to the criminal complaint filed by Agent James Spehrley, investigators became aware of a potential smuggling act on May 22.
Marcelino, a correctional officer at the State Correctional Institution at Mahanoy, near Morea, was suspected as the smuggler.
BII investigators intercepted phone calls made by inmates that had made mention of Marcelino obtaining suboxone from civilians.
Investigators found out via an informant that Marcelino had brought suboxone in prior and had plans to bring more in. He would acquire the controlled substance in the Whitehall area, according to court documents.
On May 26, the informant told investigators that an exchange was planned for Tuesday, May 28. On May 27, Marcelino was set to acquire the substance in Whitehall and BII investigators set up for a sting.
The transaction took place, and Marcelino was arrested and taken to Schuylkill County Prison.
He was committed to county prison on $10,000 cash bail and released Tuesday via a bail bondsman from Reading.
A preliminary hearing is set for June 20.
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