COLUMBIA, S.C.: Prison Supervisor Accused of Taking $219,000 in Bribes

A supervisor tasked with overseeing security at a South Carolina prison is in hot water after being accused of accepting hefty bribes totaling over $219,000 and facilitating the smuggling of contraband cellphones to inmates, according to federal prosecutors.

Christine Mary Livingston, 46, a long-serving staff member at the South Carolina Department of Corrections, recently faced an indictment on multiple charges including bribery, conspiracy, wire fraud, and money laundering. Her role as a captain at Broad River Correctional Institution in Columbia, where she managed security, allegedly allowed her to engage in nefarious activities with an inmate.

Livingston, collaborating with 33-year-old inmate Jerell Reaves, reportedly accepted bribes from inmates in exchange for providing them with contraband items, primarily cellphones. The bribery scheme involved transactions ranging from $1,000 to $7,000 conducted through the Cash App money transfer platform for the illicit acquisition of phones.

Reaves, known as “Hell Rell,” and Livingston, referred to as “Hell Rell’s Queen” by federal prosecutors, are facing serious consequences if found guilty, with punishments including up to 20 years in prison, fines of $250,000, and mandatory restitution of the illicitly acquired funds.

Contraband cellphones have long plagued South Carolina prisons, fostering drug rings, fraudulent activities, and even orchestrating violent incidents from within correctional facilities. The dangers associated with smuggled cellphones were tragically exemplified by a 2018 riot at Lee Correctional Institution that claimed the lives of seven inmates.