Corrections officer charged for smuggling contraband to inmates at NJ jail

NEWARK, N.J. (1010 WINS) -- A corrections officer at a New Jersey jail was charged with smuggling products to inmates in exchange for money, prosecutors said Thursday.

Keith Peterman, 29, was charged with knowingly bringing banned "tobacco products," to the Essex County Correctional Facility, acting county Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens announced.

"The introduction of contraband into the Essex County Correctional Facility creates a serious risk," said Assistant Prosecutor Joseph Perez, who is handling the case. "The defendant jeopardized the safety of his colleagues and the inmates entrusted to his care, custody, and control."

Peterman is scheduled for his first court appearance on March 26.

A joint investigation by the prosecutor's office Professional Standards Bureau and Essex County Correctional Facility Internal Affairs Unit remains ongoing, officials added.