A former guard at the Atlantic County Justice Facility is now headed to prison for smuggling cell phones into the jail.

The Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office says late last year, 35-year-old Gerald Oquendo of Mays Landing pleaded guilty to an official misconduct charge.

On Tuesday, he was sentenced to three years in state prison.

Captured on Audio and Video

According to authorities, this case involved two family members of an inmate working with Oquendo to smuggle cell phones into the Atlantic County Justice Facility where the inmate was housed in exchange for money.

The family members and inmate were captured on recorded conversations discussing the crime with video surveillance showing Oquendo bringing an object to the inmate.

Reynolds Speaks

Atlantic County Prosecutor William Reynolds said in a statement,

The defendant, a public servant entrusted with the care and custody of inmates within the Atlantic County Justice Facility, jeopardized the safety and security of the staff and inmates when he violated his oath of office and smuggled cellular devices, creating the possibility that inmates could engage in criminal activity from inside the walls of an otherwise secure facility.

Oquendo will be required to serve at least two years of his prison term before becoming eligible for parole and he will also be prohibited from future public employment.

This prosecution was the result of a cooperative investigation by the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office's Professional Standards Unit and the Atlantic County Justice Facility. Additional assistance was provided from the FBI's Atlantic City office.