Hidden Nightmare: How Prison Gangs Are Extorting Families in Oklahoma

When most people think of prison, they imagine a place where individuals serve time for their crimes, repaying their debt to society. Unfortunately, for many families in Oklahoma, the reality is much more sinister. Behind the prison walls, a hidden nightmare is unfolding—one that extends beyond the bars and into the lives of ordinary citizens. In-prison gangs have developed a new form of terror, turning extortion into a thriving, underground economy.

The Invisible Chains of Extortion

Take Cynthia, a 65-year-old mother from Oklahoma City, who has been ensnared in a relentless cycle of extortion for the past seven years. Her ordeal began when her son was incarcerated at the Oklahoma County Detention Center in 2017. Almost immediately, the threats started. Gangs demanded payments in the form of Green Dot reloadable debit cards, promising her son’s safety in return. But as the payments increased, so did the threats. Cynthia estimates that she has paid over $50,000 to keep her son safe, though "safe" is a relative term in these circumstances.

Her son, serving an 11-year sentence, is particularly vulnerable due to his struggles with mental health issues and drug addiction. When Cynthia couldn’t meet the extortionists’ demands, her son was brutally assaulted and even raped. Despite the financial and emotional toll, Cynthia felt trapped, with no option but to continue paying.

A Growing Epidemic

Cynthia’s story is not an isolated case. Numerous families across Oklahoma share similar experiences. Sylvia, a 39-year-old mother from Mississippi, received extortion demands shortly after her 21-year-old son was incarcerated at the Lawton Correctional Facility. In just a few months, she has sent over $13,000 to prevent further harm to her son, who has already been stabbed. Like Cynthia, Sylvia lives in a constant state of fear and anxiety.

These stories reveal a disturbing reality: the extortion racket isn’t limited to one facility or a few bad actors. It’s a widespread issue, affecting multiple prisons across the state, from maximum-security institutions like Lawton to minimum-security centers like John Lilley Correctional Center in Boley.

Why Is This Happening?

At the core of these extortion schemes are contraband cellphones. Despite ongoing efforts by the Oklahoma Department of Corrections to curb the smuggling of illegal phones, they remain prevalent in the prison system. In 2022 alone, over 5,200 contraband phones were confiscated in Oklahoma's prisons. Gangs use these phones to issue threats, coordinate payments, and maintain a stranglehold over inmates and their families.

Efforts to combat the problem have been hampered by a lack of resources and technological limitations. While the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has approved the use of Contraband Interdiction Systems—advanced technology designed to detect and disable illegal phones—only two Oklahoma prisons have been authorized to install them. The high cost of these systems, ranging from $3 million to $4 million, has slowed their implementation.

In the meantime, the Oklahoma Department of Corrections has tried more affordable solutions, like SIM card detectors and small-scale interdiction systems, but these have met with limited success. In some facilities, the number of phones confiscated has actually decreased, raising concerns that the existing technology is either inadequate or being outpaced by those smuggling the contraband.

A System in Crisis

The extortion crisis in Oklahoma’s prisons is not just a technological issue; it’s also a human one. The state’s prisons are critically understaffed, making it nearly impossible to effectively monitor and control the flow of contraband. In some facilities, the number of correctional officers has been slashed by nearly half over the past six years, while the inmate population has only decreased by 20%.

Former Oklahoma Department of Corrections Director Joe Allbaugh, who served from 2016 to 2019, admitted that the issue kept him up at night. “I failed,” he confessed, acknowledging the widespread nature of the extortion problem that he was unable to fully address during his tenure.

The Human Cost

For Cynthia and countless others, the damage has already been done. In February of this year, Cynthia reached her breaking point. Having already sold her retirement home and drained her savings to meet the extortion demands, she stopped contacting her son, overwhelmed by stress and fear.

She hasn’t hugged her son in seven years. Now, she fears that even if he survives his sentence, the psychological and physical scars will have transformed him into someone unrecognizable. “His humanity is not gone,” she says, “But if he’s in there much longer, it will be.”

A Call for Change

The stories of Cynthia, Sylvia, and others expose a broken system in desperate need of reform. Oklahoma must invest in more effective technology to combat contraband, hire and retain more correctional officers, and hold the extortionists accountable. Without these changes, the cycle of fear, violence, and extortion will continue, ruining lives on both sides of the prison walls.

It’s time for Oklahoma to recognize that the cost of inaction is too high. The lives of inmates and their families are at stake, and they deserve more than just hope—they deserve real change.

Note: If you or someone you know is being extorted by in-prison gangs, please report it to the authorities and seek support from organizations that can help you navigate this terrifying