Crown prosecutors have recommended a former prison guard spend four years in jail for accepting bribes to smuggle contraband to inmates at Surrey Pretrial Services Centre.
The sentencing of Sedrick Dang, 26, began in Surrey Provincial Court on Monday (Nov. 4). He pleaded guilty in July to breach of trust by a public officer and accepting a bribe as an officer.
The court heard this week that Dang was hired by B.C. Corrections in early 2011 and started work in March, following weeks of training. He worked at the Surrey jail for about 18 months before his arrest in November 2012.
An agreed statement of facts read by Crown Prosecutor Alisia Adams said there were seven known members of the United Nations (UN) gang in Surrey pretrial at the time Dang was accused of smuggling items into the jail.
In September 2012, when a UN inmate's cell was searched, it was discovered there was a hole cut into a desk. Inside, there were more than 200 white pills found, as well as a syringe and vials of steroids.
A search of another cell found several knives, two screwdrivers, a cellphone and charger, a computer memory stick, needles, and dozens of pills and capsules. All the jail cells were then searched.
In a third cell, there were three wrapped packages of a white substance and some marijuana. Inmates from the three cells where contraband was found were put into segregation, said Adams.
During a secondary search of one of the cells, more pills were discovered behind a loose electrical outlet cover. Most of the pills found were the narcotics oxycodone and Percocet. The USB stick contained pornography, while the cellphone was believed to have been wiped remotely and contained no data.
Adams said police had previously investigated Dang after an inmate in Surrey died of an overdose, but the case had been closed due to lack of evidence.
He was charged with the current offences after undercover officers posed as UN gang members and devised a sting to see if he'd accept bribes for smuggling contraband into the Surrey prison. During the set-up, the fake gangster said he'd give Dang $2,000 if he brought a cellphone, charger and battery in. The corrections officer agreed, and during the conversation, also revealed he had previously brought inmates screwdrivers so they could open the electrical outlets in their cells.
Dang was arrested Nov. 14, 2012 at Surrey Pretrial. The phone and other items were found in a clear bag in his pocket.
His sentencing was interrupted by a courthouse evacuation Monday and is scheduled to proceed Dec. 2.