A Philadelphia-based attorney from Turnersville was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with one count of allegedly providing contraband to a prison inmate and aiding and abetting, according to Acting United States Attorney Nelson S.T. Thayer, Jr.
The criminal complaint alleges that on Feb. 4 at 10:53 a.m., Federal Detention Center (FDC) surveillance video recorded Paul DiMaio, 56, entering the Federal Detention Center Philadelphia (FDC) with two “redweld” type folders. DiMaio then completed and signed a Bureau of Prisons form that warns against bringing prohibited objects, including drugs, intoxicants, telephones and electronic devices into the FDC, according to a press release through Thayer.
DiMaio specializes in criminal defense, drug/driving under the influence and personal injury cases, according to his practice’s website.
As alleged in the complaint, FDC surveillance video shows that he carried the two folders into a legal visitation room, where he met for 18 minutes with an inmate who is not one of his clients. DiMaio left the room with just one folder. The video shows that the inmate did not carry any redweld folder into the meeting with DiMaio.
But the complaint alleges that after the meeting between DiMaio and the inmate, FDC personnel observed the latter carrying a redweld folder, stopped him, and searched the folder, which was found to contain a Motorola cell phone; a charging cord; 83 strips of suboxone, a Schedule III controlled substance; and 240 loose cigarettes.
Tanya Culver of Philadelphia was also arrested and charged by criminal complaint with one count of providing contraband to an inmate and aiding and abetting. The complaint alleges that the 55-year-old, the mother of a different inmate, took part in acquiring contraband, communicated with DiMaio, and traveled with him to the FDC on Feb. 4.
If convicted, the defendants each face a sentence of up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, according to the press release.
