Md. gov. wants to jam prison cell phones

BALTIMORE, May 10 (UPI) -- Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley plans to ask the federal government for permission to jam cell phone calls by prison inmates.

The Baltimore Sun reported Sunday that the governor's request is aimed at cracking down on witness intimidation and gang activity by inmates.

O'Malley's decision follows the indictments of four corrections officers and members of the Black Guerrilla Family prison gang. They were accused of conducting business on conference calls with prisoners across Maryland using smuggled cell phones.

The newspaper noted that under federal law, states are barred from jamming cell phone signals. The Federal Communications Commission may permit federal agencies, such as the Drug Enforcement Agency, to use cell phone jamming technology.

"We all determined a couple of years ago that gangs were our biggest problem and that cell phones were their means of communication from prison to the streets," said Gary Maynard, secretary of the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Corrections.

"We tried to get (state) legislation last year and the year before to increase the penalty for having cell phones in prison from a misdemeanor to a felony, but the bills failed in the House Judiciary Committee," he said.

Maryland will send its formal request to the FCC in the coming months, the newspaper reported.