Two Defendants, Including Former Correctional Facility Nurse, Plead Guilty to Racketeering Activity at Cambria County Prison

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - A resident of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and a resident of Phoenix, Arizona, both pleaded guilty in federal court on June 16, 2026, to charges of violating federal racketeering laws, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

Asiah Young-Atwell, 31, of Johnstown and Monique Valencia, 30, of Phoenix each pleaded guilty to Count One of the Indictment during separate hearings before United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines.

In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around July 2023 to in and around December 2023, Young-Atwell and Valencia conducted and participated in the affairs of an enterprise through racketeering activity. Specifically, while employed as a medical staff nurse at the Cambria County Prison, Young-Atwell accepted bribes from inmates as an incentive to smuggle contraband-namely, cell phones and THC vape pens-into the prison. That contraband was then given to inmates, who sold the items to other inmates for a substantial profit. Valencia acted as a facilitator in the racketeering activities by sending and receiving payments on behalf of the inmates for the smuggled contraband.

Young-Atwell and Valencia are among 10 residents of Pennsylvania and Arizona indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2025 for their alleged participation in the racketeer-influenced corruption organization (RICO) conspiracy. Read the Indictment news release here.

Judge Haines scheduled sentencing for both defendants for October 29, 2026. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants.

Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Safe Streets Task Force, the Cambria County District Attorney's Office, and the Cambria County Prison conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of the defendants.