Suspended Corrections Officer John Gonda without pay after his arrest Wednesday in a drug bust involving an Outlaws Motorcycle Club

Suspended Corrections Officer John Gonda without pay after his arrest Wednesday in a drug bust involving an area motorcycle gang.Gonda was transferred out of the county prison to “another facility” for “his own safety,” prison Warden Joseph Piazza said.
The 38-year-old is locked up in lieu of $500,000 cash bail, prosecutors said.
“It’s unfortunate when you have a corrections officer involved in something like this,” Piazza said. “It’s just a shame this happened. It’s a slap in the face to our employees.”Gonda of White Haven was among 22 people arrested as part of a probe into the Outlaws Motorcycle Club, a dangerous nationwide motorcycle gang. The nine-month probe into the group began when state investigators were alerted that Gonda “was selling large quantities of cocaine in the Wilkes-Barre area,” investigators said.
Piazza said he is not aware of Gonda bringing drugs into the prison and state investigators did not allege that he was.According to the arrest affidavit, Deputy Warden Sam Hyder contacted Michael T. Maguire, a narcotics agent for the state attorney general, on July 29, 2008. A confidential informant told Hyder that Gonda was selling cocaine and marijuana, according to the criminal complaint.State authorities said Gonda was an “associate” with the Outlaws Motorcycle Club. They said they have evidence he sold drugs.Gonda, allegedly was known as “G-Unit,” is charged with one count of participating in a corrupt organization, one count of conspiracy to deliver cocaine, one count of possession with the intent to deliver cocaine and one count of delivery.He faces up to 40 years in prison.