NEW YORK - Authorities announced the indictment of Bureau of Prisons ("BOP") employee Francisco Felix for making false statements to federal agents in connection with a criminal investigation by the Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General. Felix is a maintenance worker supervisor at the Metropolitan Correctional Center ("MCC") in Manhattan.

In June 2008, DOJ-OIG agents of the interviewed a

federal inmate at the MCC. Prior to the interview, the inmate had contacted BOP internal investigators to advise that he was solicited for a bribe by BOP employee joseph

Frangiosa. From June 2008 through September 2008, Frangiosa accepted multiple bribe payments from an undercover law enforcement officer posing as the Inmate's relative, in exchange for allowing the inmate to make unmonitored telephone calls. (It is a violation of BOP rules and regulations to permit inmates to make unmonitored telephone calls.)

Frangiosa was subsequently indicted in the Southern District of New York for soliciting bribes in connection with the performance of his official duties and has pleaded guilty.

In February 2009, federal law enforcement officials interviewed Felix in connection with this investigation. In a sworn statement, Felix lied and said that, not only did he never allow any inmate to make unmonitored phone calls, he did not know the Inmate.

Felix, 41, of Queens, is charged with one count of making false statements to a federal agency in connection with a criminal investigation, which carries a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison.