BOSTON — A Bureau of Prisons employee who works as a correctional counselor at Devens Federal Medical Center has been charged with accepting payments from an inmate in his care, in violation of his duties as a public official, the U.S. attorney’s office said Monday.
William S. Tidwell, 49, of Keene, NH, is also accused of lying to a bank about a loan he received from the inmate’s business partner and forging the partner’s signature to support that false claim, the U.S. attorney’s office said in a statement.
Tidwell allegedly received more than $90,000 in benefits and a $50,000 home loan, officials said. He was charged in federal court in Boston with receiving payments from a public official in violation of his official duties, making false statements to a bank and identity theft. He will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.
Tidwell has been employed by the Bureau of Prisons since 2000 and has worked at Devens Medical Center since 2008, according to charging documents.
In accordance with prison rules and policies, employees may not receive any payment, gift or personal favor from inmates, give preferential treatment to any inmate in the performance of their duties, or engage in outside work that conflicts with their duties.
Around 2014, Tidwell began working as a correctional counselor at the Devens site, a position that gave him “significant levels of contact and authority over inmates,” the U.S. attorney’s office said.
Among other duties, Tidwell was responsible for overseeing inmate work assignments, assigning inmate housing assignments, arranging legal calls and coordinating prison visits for inmates, the U.S. attorney’s office said. One of the inmates for whom Tidwell served as a correctional counselor was “Individual 1”—an “ultra high net worth individual” who had been convicted of federal charges in another jurisdiction.
Prosecutors allege that beginning in 2018, the inmate, identified as “Individual 1,” directed “a stream of profits” to be paid to Tidwell.
In November 2018, Tidwell supervised “Individual 1,” who allegedly directed a close friend and business associate (identified as “Individual 2”) to send $25,000 to Tidwell’s next of kin.
“Since then, beginning in 2019, Tidwell and Individual 1 allegedly entered into an agreement whereby Individual 1 would direct thousands of dollars to Tidwell as part of a property management arrangement, which used Individual 2 as a conduit through which payments were made to Tidwell,” the US Attorney’s office said.
In total, between 2019 and 2020, Tidwell allegedly received more than $65,000 in benefits as part of this property management agreement with “Individuals 1 and 2,” the US attorney’s office said.
“Tidwell’s alleged receipt of payments and his employment relationship with an inmate or a close associate of an inmate violated his official duties as an employee of the BOP,” the US Attorney’s office said.
In 2020, Tidwell, who was trying to buy a home, is said to have received a $50,000 loan from “Individual 2” while seeking financing for the home purchase. Tidwell is accused of making multiple false statements to the bank in connection with his loan application, by “falsely telling the bank that the $50,000 was a gift from his employer,” the US attorney’s office said.
“It is further alleged that when the bank requested written proof of this alleged gift, Tidwell falsified documents to support his earlier claim, including illegally using Individual 2’s name and address and forging Individual 2’s signature,” the US Attorney’s office said.
In a statement Monday, acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy called the case a “serious breach” of trust.
“Corrections officers are placed in a position of public trust. The vast majority of prison officers perform their duties with integrity and professionalism. They know that accepting payments from an inmate, as alleged against Mr. Tidwell here, is a serious violation of that trust and a betrayal of the BOP’s mission to serve federal prisoners in a safe and impartial manner,” Levy said. “This office is committed to holding public officials accountable when they exploit their official power or position to enrich themselves and compromise the public interest.”
In a statement, Christopher DiMenna, acting special agent in charge of the Boston division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, said the agency will continue to “root out” corruption in government.
“William Tidwell allegedly abused his authority and abandoned his duty after befriending an inmate in his charge and accepting tens of thousands of dollars from him,” DiMenna said. “Today’s arrest underscores the importance the criminal justice system places on its own policing. Make no mistake, the FBI will continue to work with our partners to root out public corruption wherever it is found because it not only undermines the integrity of our government, but is a violation of the public trust.”
Ryan Geach, special agent in charge of the New York Department of Justice’s Office of the Inspector General, said in a statement: “The safety and security of federal prisons depends on the integrity of correctional officers. By allegedly accepting tens of thousands of dollars from an inmate, Tidwell compromised his integrity and jeopardized the safety and security of the institution.”
A person convicted of receiving payments in violation of official duties faces up to 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
A person convicted of making false statements to a bank faces up to 30 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million.
A person convicted of identity theft faces up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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