HOUSTON— A parole officer was sentenced to five years in prison for accepting bribes from parolees and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin, federal officials said.
Crystal M. Washington, aka Crystal Bureau, 54, was employed as a parole officer at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice in Houston.
She was convicted on Dec. 10, 2013.
Washington who was out on bond was taken into custody following her conviction.
Following the two-day trial last year, the jury found Washington accepted bribes from a parolee—a suspected heroin dealer—from 2009 to 2012 and that she warned the dealer of a Houston Police Department investigation in 2009.
She was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin as well as conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right for accepting money from the dealer. Further evidence was presented which showed Washington accepting money from a cooperating parolee in May 2012, officials said.
Washington was relieved of all duties and her employment terminated upon arrest.