Former St. Louis County jail officer charged with accepting bribes to smuggle contraband

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. (First Alert 4) - A former correctional officer faces charges after police said he helped smuggle contraband to inmates at the St. Louis County Jail.

Darius Harris, 25, faces eight counts of accepting a bribe from a public servant. Harris worked as a corrections officer with the Department of Justice Services in the jail.

He took payments from the family members of inmates to smuggle contraband into the jail. He would process payments through Apple Pay before placing the items in rubber gloves and delivering them to the inmates.

Between October and November 2026, Harris smuggled in K2, marijuana, vape pens and cigarettes at least eight times.

Harris admitted to delivering the items to inmates and told police that he smuggled in vape pens for an inmate in exchange for a pistol.

He is held on a $500,000 cash-only bond.