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Richard Pillajo
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published: Tuesday, July 14, 2009

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APCI officer charged with attempting to smuggle drugs into prison

By TREY CHRISTY

trey.christy@newssun.com

SEBRING -- A corrections officer with the Avon Park Correctional Institute was arrested Friday for his alleged involvement in a plan to smuggle drugs into the prison.

Richard Pillajo, 37, allegedly agreed to purchase 112 grams of marijuana, 29 grams of cocaine and 20 hydrocodone pills and smuggle them to an inmate inside the APCI.

Pillajo was reportedly to be paid $2,500 for obtaining, transporting and delivering the drugs.

The purchase of such a large amount of drugs was negotiated by Pillajo with an undercover officer of the Highlands County Sheriff's Office, said Capt. Randy Labelle of HCSO investigations.

"Pillajo thought he was picking up the drugs from an inmate's family member to smuggle them into the prison," a press release by the Florida Department of Corrections said.

The undercover operation run by the HCSO reportedly delivered the drugs to Pillajo at 9:15 Friday night at the Circle K, located at the U.S. 98 and U.S. 27 intersection in South Sebring.

"Pillajo accepted the above described drugs and payment," wrote HCSO officer Michael Abell in the arrest report.

An investigation into Pillajo started in June after receiving tips from an informant, said Jo Ellyn Rackleff, spokesperson for the Florida DOC.

"We did the investigation and thought there were criminal charges," she said. "We turned it over to the State Attorney and worked with outside law enforcement to do the sting."

Pillajo was charged with possession of an opium derivative with intent to sell, distribution of marijuana, trafficking in cocaine, smuggling contraband into a prison facility, and possession of narcotic equipment.

He was booked into the Highlands County Jail without incident Friday, and remained there Tuesday afternoon on $50,500 bond.

He had worked as a wellness officer with the APCI since July 28, 2006.

"While I am disgusted by the actions of this officer, I am pleased with the continued work of the Department's Inspector Generals," said DOC Secretary Walt McNeil in the press release. "The Department's Inspectors' along with security staff continue to work diligently to keep drugs, contraband and illegal activity out of our prison system regardless of who is involved."

Pillajo has been terminated from his position at the prison and the Florida DOC press release said they "are working with law enforcement to ensure he is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."

The investigation remains open.




dirty cops  (by: Show Time  -   9/29/2009)

I cant wait till they bust the sebring police department, like officer Garrison, now that's a dirty cop. I think to be a qualified cop here in highlands county all you have to do is be able to talk and drive a car and they'll give a badge

apci officer  (by: gg  -   7/17/2009)

what the heck? how much money do these guys make a yr there?

To just say no  (by: Rusty Shackleford  -   7/16/2009)

Man,that was funny as hell! I wish you hadn'y beat me to it. To Avon Krap, when are you going to get out of the spotlight? Your town can't manage an ice cream budget, your cops are crooked as Stevie Wonder's tic tac toe game. Your signmakers need to get hooked on phonics, you are pathetic.

APCI Officer  (by: Just say no  -   7/15/2009)

He looks like an intelligent man. His mother probably needed a liver.

Re: Skk  (by: Guest  -   7/15/2009)

There are plenty of officers and deputies throughout the county that are not crooked and do their job like it's suppose to be done. Just because you're a disgruntled person who probably deserved the ticket(s) or arrest(s) doesn't mean it's the fault of Law Enforcement. Those who are dirty will eventually be brought down. How dare you accuse all for the crimes of few. How about we just start assuming everyone in Avon Park is a criminal because many people are arrested out of Avon Park? I'm sure you wouldn't like the shoe on the other foot....

Guards with drugs  (by: Lillian  -   7/15/2009)

If every guard was searched before they could go to work each day you would find that many of them take in the drugs to the prisoners. They say that only prisoner's lie. Not so.

apci  (by: mr sandoval  -   7/14/2009)

who hires these people?first the appd now its the apci,is this just the begining of what is to come?

AP  (by: SKK  -   7/14/2009)

ALL THE COPS N AP ARE CROOKS EVEN THE SHERIFF DEPT JUST SETTING UP THERE OWN PEOPLE TO MAKE MONEY WHAT WE REALLY NEED IS COPS WHO ARE OUT THERE TO HELP AND PROTECT THE COMMUNTITY INSTEAD OF WORRYING ABOUT THEIR STAFF

APCI officer charged  (by: Dark Horse  -   7/14/2009)

It's about time that the public is seeing that it's the CO's who are bringing in the majority if the contraband! DOC always fooled the public into believing that it was coming primarily from the visitors. Yes, this does happen, but it's very less seldom and certainly not the large amounts that the CO's bring in. Visitors are thoroughly searched, while CO's walk right through, with contraband in their lunch boxes and in their uniforms. CO's are not searched. But the blame has always gone on the visitors. Hopefully we'll catch more of them, and there's plenty of them! This is just DOC throwing the public a bone. And hopefully they'll look into further corruptions that take place daily. It's so sad that the inmates and their loved ones have been trying to get this out to the public for many long years and no one believed them.

APCI Officer Charged  (by: FDOCEyes  -   7/14/2009)

LOL - this seems to be the norm for some CO's - when will they learn greed doesn't pay???

APCI Officer Charged  (by: FDCOEyes  -   7/14/2009)

LOL - this seems to be happing more and more often! When will these CO's learn that greed doesn't pay????

stupid criminals  (by: JRT  -   7/14/2009)

What was this fool thinking? 4 ounces of pot 1 ounce of coke and 20 Hydocodone pills all for only $2500. Well now he can work a a wellness inmate in the house on the house.

APCI Office Charged  (by: FDOCEyes  -   7/14/2009)

LOL - this seems to be the norm now - reading more and more about it every day! When will they learn that greed doesn't pay???


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