Kosher Coke And Holy Smoke?

ALBANY, NY, October 1998:

Eli Gottesman, 73, a former "Rabbi of the Year", has worked on a contractual basis since 1991 at the Federal Correctional Institute at Ray Brook, in the Adirondack Mountains, providing religious services to Jewish inmates every other week for $3,420 a year. He has worked since 1984 as a chaplain at five state prisons in northeastern upstate New York, earning $53,875 a year.

On October 7, Gottesman was arrested by a special agent of the US Justice Department. Authorities said he had been under investigation for the past several months by prison officials, the Justice Department, the FBI, and state police.

Authorities claim Gottesman tried to smuggle a bottle of Pert Plus shampoo filled with cocaine and marijuana encased in balloons into Ray Brook.

Gottesman pleaded innocent to the charge of attempting to provide contraband, a felony which could result in a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250.000 fine, according to federal prosecutor Richard Hartunian.

"God knows I didn't do anything wrong - I was tricked," Gottesman said after the court hearing.

Michael Houston, State prison spokesman, said the department will suspend Gottesman without pay and seek his dismissal from state service. His contract with the federal prison has been terminated. Brian Premo, Gottesman's lawyer, said the case will likely center around whether the rabbi knowingly brought the drugs into the prison or in fact was tricked.

"Obviously he's upset," Premo said. "He's a religious man who's spent his whole life trying to help people."