Former Federal Prison Dental Assistant Charged With Accepting More Than $163,000 in Bribes to Smuggle Drugs Into Otisville Prison

OTISVILLE, New York — A former contract dental assistant at the Federal Correctional Institution in Otisville has been charged after federal prosecutors accused her of accepting more than $163,000 in bribes to smuggle drugs and other contraband into the Orange County prison.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, 50-year-old Terri Lynn Outer of Montague, New Jersey, worked as a contract dental assistant at FCI Otisville from January 2024 through August 2025.

Prosecutors allege Outer accepted payments from inmates, their family members, and associates in exchange for bringing prohibited items into the federal correctional facility. Investigators also allege she maintained extensive communication with inmates, former inmates, and their associates, including discussions about delivering a package weighing more than six pounds into the prison.

The investigation led to a search of a Health Services supply room that Outer had access to on or about Aug. 1, 2025. During the search, authorities said they recovered approximately 3.2 pounds of marijuana and 6.7 pounds of loose-leaf tobacco hidden inside the facility.

“As alleged, Terri Lynn Outer accepted bribes from federal inmates, their family members, and their associates in exchange for smuggling contraband, including drugs, into a federal prison,” U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said in a statement. “The DOJ refuses to tolerate such corruption in our prisons. It makes our prisons more dangerous and makes rehabilitation more difficult.”

The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General said the alleged scheme compromised the safety and security of the prison and reaffirmed its commitment to investigating correctional employees and contractors accused of abusing positions of trust.

Outer has been charged with bribery, providing or possessing contraband in prison, and conspiracy to provide or possess contraband in prison. The bribery charge carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison, while the remaining charges each carry a maximum sentence of five years.

The charges are allegations, and Outer is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.