Three St. Louis jail officers charged

ST. LOUIS -- Three corrections officers are accused of smuggling heroin to an inmate inside the St. Louis Justice Center, marking the second time in recent months the city jail has been at the center of allegations of wrongdoing.

Acting federal prosecutor Michael Reap announced the indictments Thursday against 36-year-old James Lamont Moore, 54-year-old Marilyn Denise Brown and 48-year-old Peggy Lynn O'Neal, all of St. Louis.

Reaps said that on several occasions between January and March, the corrections officers received purported heroin from someone outside the jail, along with cash payments, and delivered it to an inmate.

A grand jury indicted Moore and Brown on one count each of attempted distribution of heroin. O'Neal was indicted on two counts of attempted distribution of heroin. All three could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted. It was not clear if the three have lawyers.

Calls seeking comment from St. Louis Public Safety director Charles Bryson were referred to the mayor's office. A spokesman for Mayor Francis Slay did not return a phone call seeking comment.

In March, the American Civil Liberties Union of Eastern Missouri alleged a pattern of beatings, sexual misconduct and other crimes at two jails in St. Louis, including the Justice Center. The 74-page report quoted six anonymous corrections officers.

It included allegations that guards bring drugs into the jails. The report also alleged sexual contact between a male officer and a female inmate; instances where corrections officers allowed inmates to beat other inmates; cases where inmates were denied medications; and allegations that inmates were made to lie in filth and waste.

Some city leaders questioned the credibility of the report, which was forwarded to the U.S. Justice Department. Justice officials declined to say if they were investigating.

An aldermanic committee held two hearings last month on the ACLU report. Following a hearing, Bryson said he was trying to determine whether the allegations were true and if they were "individual situations or a set of systematic issues that need to be addressed."