August 31, 2018

Delaware County District Attorney Katayoun M. Copeland announced that Bramiir Shareif Cannon, 25, is facing felony contraband charges for sneaking K-2, synthetic marijuana, into the George W. Hill Correctional Facility on August 30.

Cannon, of Folcroft, is charged with contraband, which is a felony of the second degree. The investigation was conducted by George W. Hill Correctional officers and Det. Edward Kazlo, Sgt. Kenneth Bellis and Det. Edmond Pisani of the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office Criminal Investigation Division.

On Aug. 30, an investigation was launched following a report of contraband at the facility. Upon arrival, detectives discovered that Cannon was scheduled to work the second shift but arrived approximately three hours late. When he arrived, Cannon was ordered to report to the office of the shift commander, who noticed Cannon was walking with a limp and had a large bulge in the groin area of his pants.

When questioned about what was in his pants, Cannon advised he was tired of being harassed and left the room. The shift commander immediately had the sally port secured and backup correctional officers were called to the scene. The correctional officers confronted Cannon, who admitted he was in possession of contraband and upon being asked to surrender to a search, Cannon removed three bundles of a green leafy substance and 40 cigarettes.

In response to the report of contraband, Kazlo and Bellis interviewed Cannon, who told them that his vehicle was unreliable and often broke down and he needed money to repair it. Cannon admitted that after speaking with an inmate at the correctional facility about his money problems, the inmate advised Cannon he would pay Cannon between $200 to $250 if Cannon would bring contraband into the prison for the inmate.

Cannon admitted that he intended on delivering the contraband that he has secreted in his pants to the inmate. During the interview with detectives, Cannon advised the green leafy substance was K-2, a synthetic marijuana.

A field test confirmed that the substance was synthetic cannabinoids. When asked if he knew bringing the contraband onto the prison grounds was illegal, Cannon admitted that he knew it was wrong but that he needed money to repair his car.

According to the district attorney, 25 state prisons across the state were placed on lockdown due to visitors smuggling drugs into our state prisons.

“In the case of the defendant, he is held to a higher standard of conduct, and instead of doing his job of ensuring the safety of the prison, Mr. Cannon breached the trust of his colleagues, and put their safety at risk by bringing this substance into his workplace

Cannon was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge Walter A. Strohl who set bail at $100,000 cash which he failed to post and he was remanded to the George W. Hill Correctional Facility. His preliminary hearing date is scheduled for Sept.13, before Magisterial District Judge Wendy B. Roberts.