United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Region Office of the U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (“DOJ OIG”), Ryan T. Geach, announced the unsealing of a Complaint charging TERRI LYNN OUTER, a former contractor with the Bureau of Prisons working at a federal prison in Orange County, New York, with bribery, providing or possessing contraband in prison, and conspiracy to provide or possess contraband in prison. OUTER was arrested today and will be presented this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Victoria Reznik.
“As alleged, Terri Lynn Outer accepted bribes from federal inmates, their family members, and their associates in exchange for smuggling contraband, including drugs, into a federal prison,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “The DOJ refuses to tolerate such corruption in our prisons. It makes our prisons more dangerous and makes rehabilitation more difficult.”
“Outer’s alleged attempt to accept bribes and smuggle contraband jeopardized the safety and security of the institution,” said DOJ OIG Special Agent in Charge Ryan T. Geach. “The DOJ OIG is committed to working with its law enforcement partners to bring to justice any Bureau of Prisons employee or contractor who abuses their authority and attempts to smuggle illegal contraband into federal prisons.”
As alleged in the Complaint:(1)
From January 2024 through August 2025, OUTER was employed as a contractor at FCI Otisville, working as a dental assistant. During her time there, OUTER solicited and received payments in return for smuggling contraband and prohibited objects into the prison. OUTER received more than $163,000 from inmates’ family members and associates, and engaged in extensive communications with inmates, former inmates, and their family members and associates, including discussions with an inmate about having the contents of a package weighing over six pounds smuggled into FCI Otisville.
On or about August 1, 2025, prison staff searched a specific supply room used by the Health Services Department at FCI Otisville, to which OUTER had access. During that search, prison staff found contraband that included approximately 3.2 pounds of marijuana and 6.7 pounds of loose-leaf tobacco, pictured below:
Marijuana discovered at FCI Otisville
Tobacco discovered at FCI Otisville
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OUTER, 50, of Montague, New Jersey, is charged with one count of bribery, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison; one count of providing or possessing contraband in prison, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; and one count of conspiracy to provide or possess contraband in prison, which also carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of OUTER will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of DOJ OIG; the United States Postal Inspection Service, New York Domicile; the FCI Otisville Special Investigative Services; and the New Jersey State Police.
This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carmi Schickler and Timothy Deal are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and OUTER is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office — Southern District of New York — U.S. Department of Justice press release.