PORTLAND, Ore. -- A judge sentenced a former federal prison guard to two years in prison for smuggling heroin, marijuana and drug paraphernalia into a federal prison in Sheridan, Ore.

Federal Corrections officer James Rolen pleaded guilty to receiving a bribe as a public official and possessing heroin with the intent to distribute it. He was sentenced to two years in federal prison followed by two years of supervised release, according to a Department of Justice release.

“(Rolen’s) sentencing today sends the clear message that abuse of the public trust by public officials will not be tolerated,” U.S. Attorney Karin Immergut said.

In February 2007, the FBI and FCI Sheridan’s Special Investigative Section were investigating the illegal smuggling of contraband into the federal prison and obtained a court order authorizing a wiretap on Rolen’s cellphone, FBI agents intercepted several telephone calls between Rolen and inmate Alfredo Carranza, Jr., who was calling Rolen from inside FCI Sheridan to order heroin, according to the release.

“The American people have a right to expect federal prison employees to act with honesty and integrity,” Assistant Special Agent in Charge Alan J. Peters said. “Violation of that trust is unacceptable on any level.”

Carranza bribed Rolen to smuggle heroin and marijuana into the prison, promising to pay him approximately $2,000. Carranza also asked Rolen to smuggle in a digital scale, as well as water balloons and plastic wrap so the drugs could be concealed when they were distributed within the prison, according to the Department of Justice.

Rolen then met with Eliverio Martinez-Franco in a rural area in Salem to pick up the black tar heroin and marijuana. Two days later, Rolen was arrested trying to enter FCI Sheridan with the drugs and other paraphernalia hidden in his backpack, according to the Department of Justice.

“James Rolen used his position as a correctional officer to profit from selling drugs, and in the process jeopardized the security of the prison at Sheridan,” U.S. Attorney Karin Immergut said.

Carranza pleaded guilty to bribery of a public official and conspiracy to distribute heroin and marijuana and was sentenced in November to two to 30 months imprisonment – to run consecutively to the federal sentence he was serving at FCI Sheridan when he committed the crimes – and three years of supervised release.

Eliverio Martinez-Franco pleaded guilty to possession of heroin with intent to distribute. He is scheduled for sentencing on April 7.