Stillwater Prison CO and Inmate Charged in Meth Conspiracy
A Stillwater corrections officer and an inmate have been indicted for their alleged roles in a methamphetamine distribution organization within the Stillwater prison.
According to court documents, Faith Rose Gratz, 24, a MCF-Stillwater corrections officer, and Axel Rene Kramer, 34, an inmate who is serving a 288-month sentence for 2nd-degree murder, conspired with each other to distribute meth within the prison.
The Stillwater facility is Minnesota’s largest high-security prison.
As part of the conspiracy, Kramer allegedly obtained “wholesale quantities” of prepackaged meth from sources of supply outside the prison, according to court documents.
After Kramer and another co-conspirator inmate worked with the drug suppliers to arrange meet-up times and locations, Gratz would pick up the drug packages.
Gratz used her position as a corrections officer to smuggle the drugs into the secure facility and then provided the drugs to Kramer while she was on duty, the documents said.
She’s accused of smuggling drugs into the prison around six different times, and also smuggled into prison multiple cell phones that she provided to Kramer.
Kramer would use the cell phones to operate the distribution network from inside.
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According to court documents, Gratz and Kramer exchanged hundreds of text messages with each other about the drug distribution conspiracy as well as about their romantic relationship.
Gratz also warned Kramer about upcoming searches of inmates’ cells so that Kramer could hide his phone and drugs to avoid detection.
On April 8, 2022, after recovering Kramer’s cell phone, law enforcement officers confronted Gratz about the drug distribution operation. Officers searched Gratz’s car and recovered a half pound of methamphetamine, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
Gratz and Kramer are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Gratz is also charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
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