SAN FRANCISCO — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - California, Northern), published as received.
SAN FRANCISCO – Former California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation employee Keith Randle was sentenced today to 37 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute over 300 grams of methamphetamine to inmates at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, formerly known as San Quentin State Prison. U.S. District Judge Susan Illston handed down the sentence.
Randle, 57, of Vallejo, California, was charged by Information on March 20, 2025, with one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and pleaded guilty on May 15, 2026. According to the plea agreement, Randle, while working as a janitor at San Quentin, admitted to soliciting and accepting bribery payments in exchange for smuggling and distributing prison contraband, including methamphetamine, marijuana, and tobacco, to inmates. The scheme went on for years, dating back to at least January 2019 and continuing through August 15, 2024. Randle admitted to charging inmates and their associates approximately $1,000 per item he smuggled into the prison and initially received payments directly from inmates. However, fearing law enforcement might uncover his contraband and drug distribution scheme, Randle began to solicit and accept bribery payments from the associates of inmates rather than inmates themselves. Per the plea agreement, on August 15, 2024, Randle was caught inside San Quentin with a hollowed out peanut butter jar containing 301 grams of methamphetamine, as well as marijuana. The peanut butter jar was painted brown and glued shut to appear full and unopened.
Randle profited significantly from his years-long bribery and drug distribution scheme. For example, according to the plea agreement, from January 2019 through April 2020, Randle was paid $31,000 from associates of inmates to his PayPal account in exchange for smuggling contraband into the prison. As another example, from July 2021 through August 2022, Randle received approximately $40,926 via Cash App from an inmate’s wife in exchange for smuggling contraband to her husband at San Quentin. In 2023 and 2024, Randle admitted to primarily only accepting bribery payments in cash. On October 1, 2024, federal law enforcement seized $55,210 in cash from Randle’s two residences, all of which Randle admitted were proceeds from his bribery and drug distribution scheme. In total, Randle admitted to soliciting and accepting over $100,000 in bribery payments from inmates and their associates. With the illicit proceeds, Randle admitted to making numerous purchases, such as buying cars, motorcycles, and other assets.
United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and FBI Special Agent in Charge Scott R. Schelble made the announcement.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Illston also sentenced the defendant to a three-year period of supervised release and ordered the forfeiture of $55,210. The defendant will begin serving the sentence on January 5, 2027.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin K. Kleinman prosecuted the case with the assistance of Amala James, Analisse Iniguez, Veronica Hernandez, and Aryan Sawant. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.
