Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) have announced the arrest and charging of a corrections officer at Northern State Prison in Newark. The officer, Senior Correctional Police Officer Christopher Santana, 32, from Hackensack, New Jersey, is accused of accepting bribes to smuggle contraband into the facility.
The charges against Santana include contraband (3rd degree), bribery in official and political matters (2nd degree), and official misconduct (2nd degree). These charges are the result of an investigation by OPIA’s Corruption Bureau and the Department of Corrections’ Special Investigations Division (SID).
Attorney General Platkin stated, “As alleged, this officer violated his duty to secure Northern State Prison, putting personal profit above his obligations and the safety of inmates and his fellow corrections officers.” He emphasized that such behavior undermines public trust in honest officers working in correctional institutions.
Drew Skinner, Executive Director of OPIA, remarked that “Public officials who would accept bribes, as alleged here, will be investigated and prosecuted.”
The investigation reportedly found that Santana received around $2,000 in bribes from associates of inmates at Northern State Prison. The scheme allegedly began around May 2024. On June 10, 2025, it was suspected that Santana intended to bring unknown contraband into the prison during his shift.
Upon arrival for his shift on June 10th, Santana was observed with a large bulge under his clothing. A search revealed two vacuum-sealed bags containing suspected tobacco and three bottles of an unknown liquid hidden beneath his protective vest near his upper thigh area.
Further searches were conducted on inmates believed to have conspired with Santana. These searches resulted in the discovery and seizure of one cellphone, suspected tobacco, marijuana, and various pills thought to be controlled dangerous substances.
Santana was arrested on June 11th in Essex County Superior Court but was released under conditions prohibiting contact with witnesses or co-conspirators.
If convicted on second-degree charges, Santana faces five to ten years in state prison and fines up to $150,000. Third-degree charges carry potential sentences of three to five years in prison with fines up to $15,000.
It is important to note that these charges are accusations; Santana is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
Assistant Attorney General Andrew Wellbrock and Deputy Attorney General Samantha Eaton are handling prosecution for OPIA under Deputy Corruption Bureau Chief Laura Croce's supervision along with Bureau Co-Directors Jeffrey J. Manis & Eric Gibson plus Director Skinner's oversight.
Currently no defense counsel has been identified for Mr.Santana's case proceedings yet
