A plea deal could be in the works for a former Caledonia Correctional Institution case manager facing federal extortion and smuggling counts.

The public defender representing Ollie Rose III filed a motion this morning seeking an extension for the pretrial motions deadline “for additional time to continue plea discussions and negotiations.”

Rose is currently on pretrial release and remains compliant with all conditions, the motion says.

G. Alan DuBois, who is representing Rose, asked for an extension until April 12. His arraignment is currently scheduled for the May 11 term of court.

An order had not been filed as of this morning.

Rose faces federal counts of conspiracy to violate the travel act, extortion under color of official right, and attempted possession with intent to distribute a quantity of oxycodone, and possession with intent to distribute a quantity of marijuana.

The motion notes the trial attorney for the government does not oppose the motion.

According to the indictment returned in October, Rose was a case manager working at Caledonia, where his responsibilities included supervising a caseload of inmates through supportive counseling, developing case plans, and addressing inmate questions and problems. 

The indictment charges that Rose used his position to take official acts and act in violation of his lawful duty by smuggling contraband into Caledonia in exchange for payments from inmates and their associates.

The indictment says a person named as Individual 1 held an account with Cash App, a mobile application that allows users to transfer money to one another, and remotely collected money from inmates and their associates on Rose’s behalf.

Rose and his co-conspirators communicated with each other by cellular telephone to, among other things, set the terms of deals and schedule in-person meetings where he would obtain contraband from suppliers connected to Caledonia inmates.

The contraband he smuggled into Caledonia included, but was not limited to, marijuana, tobacco, and synthetic cannabinoids.

His co-conspirators used certain codewords in communicating with him by text message and in notes associated with money transfers to Individual l's Cash App account.

Suppliers provided contraband to Rose and he used his position as a public official to engage in official acts and act in violation of his lawful duty by bringing the contraband into Caledonia in exchange for payments.

He then delivered the contraband to the intended inmate-recipients associated with those suppliers.

Rose generally charged between approximately $500 and $1,200 to smuggle contraband into Caledonia and he received the payments in cash and via transfers to Individual l's Cash App account.