Brendan J. Lyons reports in the Times Union that the newspaper requested records about contraband smuggling from the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision after allegations arose in June that multiple medical employees at Coxsackie Correctional Facility were caught bringing controlled substances into the prison. Though the state department would not release any information regarding the Coxsackie Correctional Facility because of an "ongoing investigation," they did reveal many cases of employees at prisons smuggling contraband into prisons throughout the state. Prison officials only provided some information, they would not produce the names of anyone caught smuggling, citing a law that protects personnel records of correction officers. But DOCCS officials also withheld the names of those caught smuggling who were not correction officers, and not protected by that state law. Fifteen unnamed prison employees were arrested during a recent 30-month period on criminal charges ranging from official misconduct, promoting prison contraband, sexual assault, and tampering with physical evidence. “In withholding information such as the names of persons who have been arrested, and whose identities are already part of the public record, DOCCS is making it clear they have no respect for state law, and are simply obstructing efforts by the press to accurately relay to the public the actions of a taxpayer-funded agency,” said Diane Kennedy, president of the New York News Publishers Association. In all, DOCCS reported 130 contraband cases between January 2017 and June 2019. More than 60 percent of those involved correction officers. Items smuggled into state prisons included cell phones, vodka, knives, a pound of ground beef, FitBit exercise monitors, a machete, tools, pornography and assorted drugs. Mid-Hudson News reported that recently six prisoners in the Greene Correctional Facility and Coxsackie Correctional Facility are facing contraband charges in Greene County Court. Five of the prisoners were arrested for possessing weapons, and one had buprenorphine and was charged with intent to sell.