TRENTON, New Jersey — A state grand jury has indicted a senior correctional police officer for allegedly smuggling contraband into Northern State Prison in exchange for monetary payments, Attorney General Jennifer Davenport and the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability announced on Tuesday, May 26, 2026.
Christopher Santana, a 33-year-old New Jersey Department of Corrections Officer from Hackensack, New Jersey, was indicted on multiple charges. According to the allegations, Santana accepted financial bribes from individuals acting on behalf of inmates between approximately May 2024 and June 2025 to deliver contraband to incarcerated individuals at the Newark correctional facility.
Attorney General Davenport stated that Santana betrayed his official obligations to maintain security at Northern State Prison and prevent contraband from entering the facility. She emphasized that her office remains committed to pursuing accountability whenever law enforcement members exploit their positions for illegal financial gain. New Jersey Department of Corrections Commissioner Victoria L. Kuhn added that employees who abuse their authority and compromise safety will be investigated by the Special Investigations Division and held accountable.
According to publicly filed court documents, law enforcement officers observed a large bulge protruding from Santana’s clothing as he arrived for his shift on the evening of June 10, 2025. A physical search revealed that Santana had concealed two vacuum-sealed bags of tobacco and three bottles containing an unknown liquid beneath his protective vest and near his upper thigh. A subsequent investigation indicated that Santana had been receiving illicit compensation from associates of inmates since May 2024.
The grand jury indictment charges Santana with four second-degree offenses, including conspiracy, bribery in official and political matters, acceptance or receipt of an unlawful benefit by a public servant for official behavior, and official misconduct. Second-degree convictions in New Jersey carry a potential sentence of five to 10 years in state prison alongside a fine of up to $150,000.
Deputy Attorney General Samantha Eaton of the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability Corruption Bureau is handling the prosecution. The charges in the indictment represent accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
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