Fired jail guard convicted of smuggling contraband sentenced to house arrest

A former jail guard was sentenced for smuggling contraband into Central North Correctional Centre.

A former corrections officer who was fired for smuggling contraband cannabis and tobacco into jail for inmates will not be spending any time behind bars for his crimes.

Alex Williams, 25, received a conditional sentence from Justice Stacey Nichols on Friday afternoon inside a Barrie courtroom. The 18-month sentence includes 12 months under house arrest followed by six months of curfew.

Williams, the court heard, was under investigation in late 2023 when he was captured on security cameras bringing in duffel bags containing shoe boxes, filled with four long cylindrical packages with 264 grams of cannabis and cannabis byproducts along with 260 grams of tobacco, rolling papers, lighter parts and matches.

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After being cleared to search his vehicle, police found a shoe box containing $4,000 in $20 bills in $1,000 stacks. As Williams did not admit that money was associated with smuggling in the contraband, Justice Nichols did not order him to hand over the cash to the court.

According to those who know him, Williams worked at the Penetanguishene jail for about two years prior to his arrest. He was then fired and has since found employment elsewhere, the court heard.

Williams pleaded guilty to breach of trust while serving as a corrections officer at the Penetanguishene jail and being in possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking.

Justice Nichols called Williams’ actions “premeditated and for financial gain,” saying “Williams was in a position of trust within the institution with access to security protocols” which he used in order to smuggle in the contraband.

The Crown sought a sentence of 18 months in jail. The defence ultimately won out, with Justice Nichols citing Williams’ age and first time before the courts.

Williams left the courthouse and did not offer comment on his conditional sentence.

After serving his sentence Williams will be placed on probation for 12 months and is ordered to complete 50 hours of community service.