GREENFIELD — A former California prison lieutenant from Greenfield pleaded guilty Oct. 20 to conspiring to smuggle contraband into Salinas Valley State Prison in exchange for more than $95,000 in payments from an inmate.
Matthew L. Madsen, 40, admitted to participating in the scheme from January 2023 through February 2025 while employed by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California.
Madsen worked for the department from 2017 to 2025 and was assigned to Salinas Valley State Prison in Soledad, where he held several ranks, including correctional lieutenant. In that role, he often supervised an entire prison yard, which could include about 1,000 inmates and 200 staff members.
According to his plea agreement, Madsen worked with others, including at least one inmate and an individual outside the prison, to bring contraband into the facility. He received more than $95,000 through cash payments and wire transfers.
Prison employees are prohibited from bringing contraband, including wireless communication devices and tobacco products, into state prisons. The U.S. Attorney’s Office noted that unauthorized wireless devices can allow inmates to coordinate violent attacks and the smuggling and trafficking of contraband.
Madsen was charged by information on Feb. 24, and pleaded guilty to the sole count of honest services fraud.
His sentencing hearing is scheduled for Feb. 9, 2027. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
