A rookie correction officer at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) Brooklyn has been arrested for allegedly accepting bribes to smuggle contraband into the federal jail, according to federal prosecutors. Melissa Brooks, 37, of Brooklyn, faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
Brooks began working at MDC Brooklyn on July 14, 2024, and reportedly started accepting payments from inmates’ family members and associates that same month, according to an indictment unsealed in Brooklyn Federal Court on Wednesday. Court documents include a message from an inmate’s mother asking Brooks to bring a phone into the facility.
The smuggled items reportedly include cell phones, chargers, drugs, cigarettes, and even scalpel blades, reflecting ongoing issues with contraband at the prison. In one example detailed in the indictment, Brooks allegedly received $5,000 in October 2024 through a peer-to-peer payment app, transferred by an inmate’s sister via an inmate’s associate. Months later, the same inmate used a contraband phone to contact Brooks, requesting his "stuff" and expressing disappointment that it had not been delivered. Brooks is accused of responding with laughing and crying emojis and a message suggesting that others were trying to incriminate her.
Brooks was released on a $50,000 bond following her arrest. Her attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella condemned Brooks’ actions, stating that she betrayed her duty as a correctional officer and jeopardized the safety of both staff and inmates at MDC Brooklyn for personal gain.
Brooks’ arrest adds to a string of recent cases involving corruption and contraband smuggling at the Sunset Park facility. In January 2025, former guard Najee Jackson was sentenced to six months of house arrest and two years of probation after being found wearing a protective vest filled with marijuana, cigarettes, and other contraband. Earlier, in August 2024, Fabienne Osias, 40, pleaded guilty to attempting to introduce USB charging devices into the jail and was sentenced to probation. Additionally, in July 2024, former Correction Officer Quandelle Joseph received a 2½-year prison sentence for accepting bribes to smuggle contraband.
The series of arrests underscores persistent challenges in maintaining security within MDC Brooklyn, a facility that has repeatedly faced scrutiny for inmate and staff misconduct.