Bilirakis Bill to Crack Down on Crime By Eliminating Inmate Cell Phone Use

Washington, DC:  Today, Representative Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) will file the Eliminate Non-approved Devices and Contraband Electronics Limiting Links to Society in Confined Environments for Longer Lasting Safety (END CELLS in CELLS) Act.  Congressman Bilirakis was prompted to take action after countless reports of rising rates of prisoners using contraband cellphones to facilitate crime in communities throughout the country despite being locked behind bars.  The END CELLS in CELLS Act will provide additional penalties on prisoners who are found to illegally possess cellphones while incarcerated and on those who have smuggled or attempted to smuggle wireless devices into prisons.   Specifically, the legislation will amend the federal Communications Act to make it unlawful for anyone to provide or attempt to provide a federal, state or local prisoner with a wireless communications device and further make it unlawful for a prisoner to possess such a device while incarcerated.  Additionally, the measure creates criminal and civil penalties of up to $50,000 for each violation. 

“Americans deserve the confidence of knowing that once a criminal has been locked away, that the perpetrator cannot continue to victimize others from behind bars,” said Congressman Gus Bilirakis.  “We have seen prisoners use illegal devices to facilitate escape attempts, coordinate murders, and endanger children to sexual predators. Enough is enough!We can lower the incidence of criminal acts taking place from behind bars by cracking down on those who smuggle electronic devices into prisons and on those who are found in possession of these illegal devices.”    

"One of the most fundamental rules in securing a facility is controlling an inmate’s ability to plan an escape or contraband introduction with someone on the outside,” said Hernando County Sheriff and Florida Sheriffs Association President Al Nienhuis. “It is also important, when trying to dismantle a criminal enterprise, to limit the ability of those incarcerated leaders to run the organization from prison. Therefore, if we want to give our prison administrators the tools they need to prevent escapes, reduce contraband, and hold criminals accountable, we must send a very clear message that prisoner accessible cell phones will not be tolerated.  It is simply a common sense measure from Congressman Gus Bilirakis, who is known for his common sense approach to these criticality important public safety issues.”

"My primary focus is keeping our community safe,” said Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco.  “I fully support, and thank Congressman Bilirakis for his leadership in, any efforts to reduce victimization in our community and to hold those who commit crime in our community accountable for their actions, which includes not being able to commit any further offenses while they are incarcerated."

“Combatting contraband phones in prisons is a serious issue, and we commend Congressman Gus Bilirakis for his leadership in introducing the End Cells in Cells Act, which offers an important step to stop the smuggling and use of illegal devices in prisons. The wireless industry remains committed to working with Congress and stakeholders at all levels of government to advance effective solutions, such as Managed Access Systems, that address this important issue while also protecting lawful communications,”said Kelly Cole, Senior Vice President, Government Affairs of CTIA.

"Prisoners across this country keep breaking the law and victimizing our citizens from behind bars by using contraband cell phones.  Congress needs to stop this by passing a law that will allow states to stop the use of these contraband cell phones for the public’s safety and penalize people that supply these devices to prisoners. We thank Congressman Bilirakis for seeking to hold people who smuggle cell phones into detention facilities accountable," said Bryan Stirling, Director of the South Carolina Department of Corrections and Chairman of the Technology Committee for the Correctional Leaders Association.