San Diego
A man and a woman were arrested by the FBI on Monday for allegedly attempting to bribe a Metropolitan Correctional Center employee to free a prisoner being held on drug charges.
Agents arrested Juan Jose Zepeda, 23, and Christie Ann Bailey, 21, both of Anaheim, during a reputed payoff meeting with the jail employee and an undercover FBI agent. Zepeda and Bailey allegedly gave the jailer $70,000 in cash and a quantity of narcotics to free Roni Nadler, 47. Nadler has been in the MCC since he was arrested by U.S. marshals April 15. He was one of several people named in a federal grand jury indictment on drug charges, the FBI said. MCC officials said it was Nadler who initiated the escape scheme by making the first approach to the jail employee. A meeting was arranged with Zepeda and Bailey at a local hotel, where the payoff was reportedly made to the MCC worker.
Zepeda and Bailey were being held on suspicion of attempted bribery and possession of drugs. Nadler is also expected to be charged with attempted bribery of a federal employee.
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