TRENTON, N.J. – Cameron Paige, 43, Ian Dennis, 32, Eden Germain, 27, Joe Lee McQuay, 48, and Keith Navarro Palmer, 41, were charged for their roles in connection with a scheme to smuggle contraband into Federal Correctional Institution Fort Dix (“Fort Dix”), U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced today.
Paige, who is a Fort Dix corrections officer and Dennis, who is a former Fort Dix corrections officer, conspired with federal inmates McQuay and Navarro Palmer and two of the inmates’ colleagues outside Fort Dix, to smuggle contraband into the prison. All five defendants are charged in a criminal complaint with conspiracy to provide contraband in prison. In addition to being charged for their roles in the smuggling conspiracy, Dennis and Paige were also charged with agreeing to receive and receiving bribes.
Dennis, a resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Paige, a resident of Cinnaminson, New Jersey, and Germain, a resident of Delran, New Jersey, had their initial appearances on Sept. 16, 2026 before U.S. Magistrate Tonianne J. Bongiovanni and were all released on bail. McQuay and Navarro Palmer are serving federal terms of imprisonment and their initial appearances will be scheduled for a later date.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From May 2025 through May 2026, the defendants conspired with each other and others to smuggle contraband, including knives, marijuana, tobacco, cellular phones, vapes, cell phone chargers, tool kits, and a tattoo kit into Fort Dix, for sale to inmates detained at Fort Dix. One of the knives that the conspirators smuggled into the prison was later used by defendant McQuay to stab another inmate during a dispute involving money. In one instance, in August 2025, the co-conspirators discussed smuggling 20 cellular telephones, 8 cellular telephone charging blocks, 8 ounces of THC wax, and 10 vapes into the prison.
To facilitate the smuggling scheme, the conspirators relied in large part on Dennis, who at times was assigned to search employees who reported for work at Fort Dix and run those employees’ belongings through a metal detector. Inmates and inmates’ associates paid both Dennis and Paige bribes and kickbacks in exchange for their official assistance in bypassing the facility’s screening procedures. During the course of the conspiracy, over $100,000 was transferred among the co-conspirators through the use of electronic payment applications including Zelle, Apple Pay, CashApp, and Venmo.
The bribery charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment. The conspiracy to smuggle contraband charge carries a maximum penalty of 5 years’ imprisonment.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Trenton Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy and the Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Timothy Edminston, with the investigations with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Francesca Liquori of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Special Prosecutions Division.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel:
John Holliday, counsel for Cameron Paige.
John B. Brennan, counsel for Ian Dennis.
Christopher St. John, counsel for Eden Germain.
paigeetal.complaint.pdf
Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office — New Jersey — U.S. Department of Justice press release.