NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A former assistant director of the James River Residential Reentry Facility has admitted to accepting bribes in exchange for helping an inmate avoid consequences for violations.
Marlon R. Jones, Jr., 44, of Portsmouth, pleaded guilty to bribery charges after investigators found that he had an inappropriate relationship with an inmate, identified as L.C., who was on home confinement. Court records show that between April 2021 and September 2022, Jones not only engaged in sexual contact with L.C. but also accepted money to make disciplinary violations disappear.
The scheme unraveled when a new supervisor took over the facility and discovered that L.C. had committed at least 14 violations—only three of which had been properly recorded. Investigators later found hundreds of text messages between Jones and L.C., including explicit exchanges and discussions about payments.
L.C. sent Jones a total of $650 in five separate CashApp transfers between September 2021 and March 2022. Prosecutors also revealed that L.C. referred others, including a cousin, to Jones for similar favors.
Jones faces up to 15 years in prison when sentenced on August 7, though federal guidelines suggest his punishment may be less than the maximum.