Waukesha County Jail Worker Smuggling Contraband, Sentenced

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WAUKESHA, Wisconsin. – A former Waukesha County jail worker was sentenced to four years in federal prison after pleaded guilty to provide marijuana and a cell phone to an inmate.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Johanna Grace, 34, committed the crime while serving as a lieutenant in the sheriff’s department. He worked with people outside the prison to introduce contraband.

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When he realized the crime would be uncovered, federal prosecutors said Grace shared internal law enforcement reports with those same outside associates. He acknowledged that, as part of his sentence, he obstructed justice.

Grace is also charged in Waukesha County case related to the death of an inmate in 2023.

Jail death case

Investigators said Randy Glenn Jr. was arrested during a traffic stop for a probation violation related to previous drug convictions. Prosecutors said Glenn was found dead in his Waukesha County He went to prison the next morning and an autopsy found five small bags containing almost 10 grams of cocaine in his stomach.

Washington County was assigned to investigate Glenn’s death. In a news release, investigators said, “There were no obvious signs in the cell to suggest the cause of death.” During intake, a guard told investigators he heard “choking or retching sounds” and believed Glenn was “trying to ingest something.”

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Prosecutors said Deborah Link, a jail nurse also charged in the case, was told about it. According to prosecutors, he even inspected a baggie “that fell out of (Glenn’s) mouth.” Link told police that Glenn denied swallowing anything and that he was “fine.”

Later that night, Glenn was “sweating a lot.” Grace, a lieutenant, was on duty at the time. Detectives said they found “two plastic bags” on the floor during the strip search of Glenn. Investigators said she was “notified of the medical concerns” but did not document it in her end-of-shift log.

Grace pleaded not guilty last year to felony abuse of correctional facility residents.