Prison guard indicted for smuggling contraband into Northern State

Authorities say guard took bribes for more than a year to smuggle tobacco and other items into the prison

A state corrections officer has been indicted for allegedly taking bribes to smuggle tobacco and other contraband into Newark’s Northern State Prison, authorities said.

Christopher Santana, a 33-year-old jail guard from Hackensack, allegedly ran the scheme between May 2024 and June 2025, according to a May 26 statement from New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport.

Law enforcement caught up with Santana on June 10, when officers noticed an unusual bulge under his clothes as Santana arrived at the facility, formerly known as Rahway State Prison.

Officers searched him and found two vacuum-sealed bags of tobacco and three bottles of an unknown liquid under his protective vest and pants, Davenport said.

Authorities believe friends and associates of Northern State inmates had been paying Santana to do contraband runs for more than a year.

“The defendant betrayed his obligations to keep Northern State Prison secure and to prevent contraband from entering the secure facility,” Davenport said. “My office is committed to seeking justice and accountability whenever any member of law enforcement exploits their position to illegally enrich themselves, at the expense of the people and the institutions they were meant to serve.”

A grand jury indicted Santana on charges of conspiracy, bribery, acceptance of an unlawful benefit by a public servant for official behavior, and misconduct, all second-degree offenses.

For his alleged crimes, Santana could face up to 40 years in prison and hefty fines, Davenport said.

Anthony Pope, Santana’s Newark-based attorney, did not respond to a request for comment.