Alleged Smuggling of Contraband by a National Park Employee

We investigated an allegation that a National Park Service (NPS) employee assisted inmates from a prison work detail to smuggle contraband into a Federal penitentiary.We determined that during the prison work detail at a national park, inmates—whose criminal histories included firearms- and drug-related convictions—were found with contraband after they had been left working unsupervised in the park’s campground for approximately 2 hours.We found insufficient evidence to prove or disprove that the employee assisted the inmates who smuggled contraband into the penitentiary. The employee has since left the NPS.We also investigated whether the employee followed NPS and departmental procedures for the use of prison work details, and if the NPS had established policies and procedures for the supervision of inmates working at the national park. We presented those findings and recommendations on the lack of departmental policies and procedures in a separate management advisory (Management Advisory No. OI-GA-18-0898-I, The National Park Service Needs Policies or Procedures Covering Prison Work Details in National Parks). As a result of the management advisory we issued, all prison work details at national parks have stopped pending further consideration.We provided this report to the Deputy Director, Exercising the Authority of Director for the NPS, for any action deemed appropriate.