TRENTON — Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) announced a state grand jury has voted to file criminal charges against a corrections officer at Northern State Prison, after he allegedly smuggled contraband into the facility for a particular inmate in exchange for regular bribe payments.

At the conclusion of its deliberations, the grand jury returned a “true bill” on all five counts in the indictment, deciding that charges should be filed against Werner Gramajo, 46, of Newark, New Jersey, a senior correctional officer at the Newark-based prison.

An investigation by OPIA’s Corruption Bureau found Gramajo engaged in a months-long contraband smuggling arrangement, in which he provided an inmate with cash, jewelry, eyeglasses, clothes, cold cuts and other foods, cologne, and stamps. The investigation found the officer was paid cash each month as consideration for supplying the contraband.

“Corrections officers are public servants and the majority of them honor their oaths and serve as examples to their community, as well as those under their care,” said Attorney General Platkin. “But when anyone supervising and overseeing a correctional facility is also engaged in a conspiracy with an inmate, facilitating and participating in illegal activity, they will be detected and prosecuted.”

“Bringing contraband into a correctional institution undermines the security of the institution, threatening the corrections officers and the residents,” said OPIA Executive Director Thomas Eicher. “The grand jury determined that Gramajo violated his duties for money.”

The investigation was launched after the New Jersey Department of Corrections (NJDOC) Special Investigation Division on January 4, 2021, discovered evidence of contraband smuggling within an officer-controlled, secure area of a housing wing at Northern State Prison.

In the wake of that discovery, Gramajo authored a “special custody report” to the NJDOC, in which he allegedly made false statements that he had only smuggled in contraband once, in an attempt to deceive the NJDOC about his deal with the prisoner.

In the report, Gramajo admitted to smuggling cold cuts to the inmate, but denied smuggling other items, and denied being involved in a monetary exchange.

An OPIA investigation ensued, uncovering a long-running arrangement between the officer and the prisoner that began in December 2019 and continued until January 2021. It is alleged that contraband recovered in the inmate’s cell was traced back to Gramajo. The investigation further revealed Gramajo received regular payments of $500 for smuggling into the prison and delivering various forms of institutional contraband.

Gramajo has been indicted on the following charges:

• Conspiracy (2nd Degree)
• Official misconduct (2nd degree)
• Bribery in official or political matters (2nd degree)
• Acceptance or receipt of an unlawful benefit by a public servant for official behavior (2nd degree)
• Tampering with public records or information (3rd degree)

Second-degree charges carry a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $150,000. Third-degree charges carry a sentence of three to five years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000.

Deputy Attorneys General Samantha Thoma and Rbrey Singleton presented the case to the state grand jury on behalf of OPIA, under the supervision of Corruption Bureau Deputy Chief Jeffrey Manis, Chief Peter Lee, OPIA Deputy Director Anthony Picione and OPIA Executive Director Thomas Eicher.

These charges are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

Defense attorney
For Werner Gramajo: Robert Cannan