Inmate Stabs Prison Employee The Herald Bulletin Shawn McGrath December 29, 2008
A Pendleton Correctional Facility maintenance supervisor suffered non-life-threatening puncture wounds to a leg and lower body after he was stabbed by an inmate Monday morning.
Probe: Sex assaults by staff on inmates 'a problem' at federal prisons Miami-Herrald Jay Weaver December 28, 2008
Justice Department investigators concluded in a 2005 report that staff sexual assaults on inmates is a ''significant problem'' in federal prisons. The department's Office of the Inspector General said it investigated hundreds of allegations of inmate sexual abuse by U.S. Bureau of Prison personnel nationwide. Such cases make up about 12 percent of the inspector general's total investigations every year. From 2000 to 2004, the office opened investigations of 351 correctional officers and other staff accused of sexually abusing inmates -- with slightly more than half resulting in administrative punishment or criminal prosecutions.
Detention Officer Arrested: Authorities say she smoked crack and had sex with young offender KVUE News
Shelton Green
December 17, 2008
Magdalene Bombella is in the Travis County Jail charged with hindering apprehension. Investigatorssay she admits paying forhotel rooms for her then 17-year-old son this summer so he could have sex with hisprobation officer/counselor, Cynthia Kathaleen Brown. Bombella is charged with hindering apprehension and Brown has the same charge as well as improper sexual activity with a person in custody.
Sexual Incidents Reported at TYC Houston Chronicle
Associated Press
December 17, 2008
Five juvenile inmates either engaged in sexual activity or were sexually assaulted by other inmates at a Texas Youth Commission jail in Mart over the past 45 days. All five incidents were reported through calls to the 24-hour TYC telephone hot line. The Texas Office of the Inspector General is conducting the investigation and will present its finding to the local authorities for prosecution if cases are made.
Test to Jam Cell Phones Smuggled into Prison Nixed Citing Federal Law The Houston Chronicle
Associated Press
December 16, 2008
A scheduled demonstration of an electronic device that jams cell phone signals, rendering a phone inside a prison useless, has been canceled according to Texas prison officials concluding that it would violate federal law.
Texas officials say it's too soon to give up on youth prison agency Dallas Morning News
Emily Ramshaw
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
UPDATE: State legislatures and juvenile justice officials are currently fighting over the restructuring and merging of TYC and TJPC. The debate over whether to merge the two agencies is fundamentally about whether the TYC has served its purpose. TYC now oversees just a tiny fraction of Texas' juvenile criminals in its large, remote prisons. The question facing state leaders is whether it's more cost-effective for Texas and better for the state's juvenile offenders to serve them all at the local level – which the juvenile probation department already does.
Police: Inmate Sexually Assaulted in Jasper County Detention Center The Beaufort Gazette
December 11, 2008 A man in custody at the Jasper County Detention Center has been charged in the sexual assault of a fellow inmate. Eighteen-year-old Jeffery Fields was charged in connection with the sexual assault of a 19-year-old male, who was being housed in the same cell. The victim awoke to Fields holding him down and assaulting him and reported the incident to a detention officer by scrawling the word "rape" in toothpaste on the metal flap of the cell's door. Fields remains in custody on his original, unrelated charge and on the first-degree criminal sexual conduct charge.
Odessa Correctional Officer Facing Bribery Charges The Associated Press
December 11, 2008
A former officer at the Ector County Correctional Center faces a bribery charge over allegations that he supplied an inmate with three bags of marijuana and a cell phone in exchange for about $450 in October. The officer faces up to 15 years in federal prison and a maximum $250,000 fine if convicted. He was employed by CiviGenics a company contracted by the county to manage the federal holding facility inside the Ector County Courthouse. .
Inmate Says She was Assaulted While Serving Time The West Virginia Record
Cara Bailey
December 10, 2008
An inmate at the Anthony Correctional Center has filed a suit against the state Division of Corrections, claiming a supervisor at the prison sexually assaulted her while she was incarcerated. The suit claims that there is a “continuing practice and pattern of sexual harassment, sexual abuse and sexual assault visited upon inmates at the hands of one or more correctional officers and supervisory staff." The plaintiff is seeking compensatory and punitive damages as well as a program to train the Anthony Correctional Center employees to prevent sexual assault and harassment.
Ex-Jailers Jailed in Young Inmate’s Rape United Press International
December 8, 2008
Two former county deputy jailers in Kentucky were sent to prison Monday for arranging to have a teenage boy raped by inmates. The pair taunted the youth about his physical appearance, telling him he would make a good "girlfriend" for the other inmates then solicited convicted felons housed in a general population cell to scare the teenager. The officers left the teenager in the cell where he was sexually assaulted by the other inmates. The teenager's father reported the incident and demanded an investigation and the defendants falsified their official reports. The two jailers were found guilty of conspiring to violate the civil rights of the 18-year-old and received sentences of 14 to 15 years of incarceration and three years of supervised release.
15 Officers Caught in FBI Drug Sting The Chicago Tribune
Matthew Walberg and Jeff Coen
December 3, 2008 Authorities charged 10 Cook County corrections officers and sheriff's deputies, four Harvey police officers and one Chicago officer with providing protection for what they thought were a dozen large-scale shipments of cocaine and heroin.
NY Juvenile Justice Counselor Accused of Teen Rape The Associated Press
Samuel Maull
December 3, 2008
A counselor with the New York City Department of Juvenile Justice was charged with the rape and sexual abuse of three teenage girls who were in his custody at family court. If convicted, the counselor faces up to four years in prison on each of two third-degree rape counts.
Former Inmate Accused of Hacking Prison IT ZD Net
Michael Krigsman
December 1, 2008 Federal authorities charged a former inmate with successfully breaking into prison computer systems during his incarceration and stealing identity information on prison personnel.
Federal Judges to Rule on California Prison Crowding Associated Press
Don Thompson
December 1, 2008 A special three-judge panel reconvenes Tuesday and is prepared to decide whether crowding has become so bad that inmates cannot receive proper care. If they do, the panel will decide if lowering the inmate population is the only way to fix the problems. That could result in an order to release tens of thousands of California inmates before their terms are finished.
November 2008
Lawmaker Questions N.J. Prison Security The Courier Post
Tom Baldwin November 29, 2008
A Monmouth County lawmaker called Friday for legislative hearings into security problems in state prisons identified by the State Commission of Investigation, which says street gangs are thriving in state penitentiaries.
Corrections Officer Charged with Bribery for Buying Cigarettes for an Inmate Chicago Sun Times
Rumanna Hussain
November 27, 2008
A Cook County correctional officer has been charged with bribery and official misconduct for allegedly purchasing cigarettes for a female inmate.
Nurse Charges with Smuggling Saw to Inmate WCVB TV 5 November 25, 2008 A contract nurse was accused of trying to smuggle a saw into an inmate at MCI-Cedar Junction in Walpole to aid an alleged plot to escape. The nurse was arrested and will be arraigned on charges that include delivering an article to an inmate and aiding the escape of a prisoner.
Jail Guard from Quincy Charged with Raping Female Inmate WickedLocal Quincy
John P. Kelly
Tue Nov 25, 2008 A corrections officer from Quincy was charged with raping a female inmate at a Boston jail. Lt. Thomas A. Healy Jr., a 17-year employee of the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department, pleaded innocent to charges of rape, indecent assault and battery and having sexual relations with a prisoner as a jail guard.
4 Corrections Officers Face Obstruction, Force Counts North Country Gazette
November 24, 3008 An indictment was unsealed this morning in Brooklyn federal court charging three former correctional officers of the Queens Private Correctional Facility operated by GEO Group, Inc. Marvin Wells, Stephen Rhodes and Kirby Gray, and a current QPCF officer Krystal Mack have been charged with excessive force and obstruction of justice stemming from the assault of a federal inmate in April 2007.
Federal Jury Awards PA Prison Inmate $185K The Associated Press November 25, 2008
A state prison inmate has been awarded $185,000 by a federal jury in a lawsuit in which he claimed officials at Pittsburgh's prison improperly took and destroyed his legal papers. Twenty-six-year-old Andre Jacobs represented himself in the trial that ended Monday. He named a dozen defendants and the jury found in his favor against two guards and a spokeswoman who work or had worked at State Correctional Institution Pittsburgh.
Ex-Sheriff's Deputy Arrested On Sex Abuse Charges CBS4 November 23, 2008
A former Palm Beach County sheriff's deputy wanted on sexual abuse charges has been taken into custody in Texas. He was wanted on charges of lewd conduct, sexual battery and showing obscene material to a child were issued.
Prison wants to jam cell signals Live 5 News Tracey Amick
November 24, 2008
The most dangerous contraband in a prison or jail can be cell phones but jamming cell phone transmissions in the prison is against the law. The FCC lets the federal government jam cell signals but not state or local governments. The FCC said they recognize that it is a problem and they are willing to work with state and local law enforcement to find a solution.
Prison Guard Convicted Of Rape Robbery Kidnapping North Country Gazette
November 20, 2008 A jury has found A New York City corrections officer who worked at Rikers Island guilty of rape, kidnapping, sexual assault, and robbery charges. A jury convicted him of first degree rape, four counts of first degree robbery, two counts of first degree criminal sexual acts, four counts of first degree sexual abuse, kidnapping and second degree attempted kidnapping. He faces up to 243 years in prison.
Sexual abuse case against former TYC jailer stalls The Houston Chronicle
Alicia A. Caldwell
November 20, 2008 UPDATE: The state's sexual abuse case against a former youth prison administrator has stalled because his attorney was arrested and stopped appearing at hearings. Jerry Strickland, a spokesman for the Texas Attorney General's Office, said the office has aggressively pursued the case and will continue to do so.
Female Inmate Claims Rape News-Journal Online Lyda Longa November 20, 2008
A woman who spent a night at the county correctional facility says she was raped by one or more female corrections officers. The woman, who has gestational diabetes, asked to be taken to the jail infirmary but her request was ignored. A few minutes later, the woman felt dizzy and fell on the floor of her cell. She said four officers began slapping her and pulling her hair. She was then taken to the medical unit where staff checked on her concluding she was "faking it." The officers then put the woman on suicide watch and ordered her to disrobe for a strip search. One of the officers pinned her legs down, while a second officer took her underwear off and sexually battered her while another officer "aggressively" groped her breasts to the point of pain and a fourth officer stood in the cell and watched.
Jacksonville Sheriff others cited in jail rape pre-lawsuit letter The Florida Times-Union
Paul Pinkham November 20, 2008
The rape of a correctional officer in the Duval County jail's law library resulted from policy lapses that left her alone and unmonitored with an unrestrained killer, according to a pre-lawsuit letter delivered to the sheriff Wednesday. The officer said she reported other inmates attacking and threatening her, but no security changes were made before she was raped in April. Her complaints include having to work alone with violent inmates in the library, which had no video surveillance and a door that could only be locked or unlocked from the outside.
Another Prison Worker Charged With Having Sex With Inmate WWNY-TV 7
November 19, 2008
A woman who works at in the commissary of Gouverneur Correctional Facility has been arrested for allegedly having sex with an inmate. State police charged Laura E. Douglass on 11 counts of third-degree rape, one count of third-degree criminal sex act and one count of first-degree promoting prison contraband. According to police, Douglas engaged in sexual intercourse and oral sexual intercourse with an adult male inmate at the prison on multiple occasions from December 2007 through October 2008 and brought a weapon into the correctional facility during the summer of 2008. Last week, the laundry supervisor at Gouverneur Correctional Facility was charged with 16 counts of rape, third degree; 16 counts of criminal sex act, 3rd degree; and four counts of promoting prison contraband, 2nd degree for allegedly having sex with four prison inmates since 2006.
Former prison guard guilty of rape, assault: Plea deal accounts for 3 of 11 cases against him Concord Monitor
Annemarie Timmins
November 19, 2008 UPDATE: Douglas Tower struck a deal with state prosecutors yesterday and pleaded guilty to raping or assaulting three female inmates at a Concord halfway house in 2005. The negotiated settlement spared Tower convictions on eight other alleged victims because those charges were dropped but the deal isn't likely to add time to the 21-year prison sentence Tower is already serving for raping or assaulting two other female inmates. Tower went to trial last year on the first two cases and was convicted of both. Under the negotiated deal, Tower admitted to raping or assaulting three of the remaining eight female inmates. He received several long sentences of 10 to 20 years each, but all were suspended. In exchange, the state dropped the remaining charges involving the eight other women.
Former Inmate Files Rape Suit The Honolulu Advisor
Advisor Staff
November 18, 2008
A former federal prison inmate who was raped while in custody here has filed suit against the government and her attacker. The inmate was sexually assaulted in the Federal Detention Center by a civilian electrician working at the detention center, who admitted the assault last month and faces as much as 15 years in prison.
California Appeals Court Revives Transgendered Inmate’s Claim Against Prison System Law.com Evan Hill
November 18, 2008
A California state appeal court ruled Friday that prison guards owe their inmates a special duty of care, potentially exposing prison officials to negligence suits if they fail to protect their charges. The ruling revives a suit brought against the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation by a transgender inmate who said she was violently raped on multiple occasions while being held in Folsom State Prison in early 2006. Folsom staff, including guards and psychologists, repeatedly ignored her pleas for help, Giraldo alleged in court papers. The court found that, "Prisoners are vulnerable. And dependent. Moreover, the relationship between [jailers and prisoners] is protective by nature," wrote Justice James Richman. "This, we conclude, is the epitome of a special relationship, imposing a duty of care on a jailer owed to a prisoner, and we today add California to the list of jurisdictions recognizing a special relationship." The case is Alexis Giraldo v. California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, 08 C.D.O.S 14061.
Inmate’s Case against Correctional Officer Dismissed The Frederick News- Post
Kate Leckie
November 14, 2008
Second-degree assault charges against a former Frederick County Adult Detention Center correctional officer were dropped Thursday in District Court. In August, inmate Sherri Schmidt brought the charges against Officer Covell claiming the two had a six-week affair while Covell worked at the jail. Schmidt said Covell became jealous about letters and photographs she mailed to a pen pal. She said that Covell confronted and assaulted her in her cell by picking her up by the collar and kicking her cell door as hard as he could. Covell was fired for having inappropriate contact with an inmate.
Ex-jailer in Texas gets prison for punching inmate The Houston Chronicle
By Associated Press
November 13, 2008
Former Val Verde Correctional Facility officer Emmanuel Cassio has been sentenced to16 months in prison after pleading guilty to violating the civil rights of a detainee and obstructing the subsequent criminal investigation for repeatedly punching an inmate without provocation.
Federal Correction Officers Call For Increased Security WKYT News 27
By Marie Luby
November 13, 2008
Correctional officers at Big Sandy Federal Prison are holding an informational picket outside the facility to raise awareness to the understaffing and lack of weapons, bulletproof vests and pepper spray that they say are putting their lives at risk.
Ex-inmates awarded $8.45 million in rape, sexual harassment cases The Detroit Free Press
November 13, 2008
A Washtenaw County jury has awarded eight former female inmates $8.45 million in damages for rapes and sexual harassment in the 1990s by officers at the Crane Correctional Facility.
Scrap TYC, create joint juvenile justice agency The Marshall News Messenger
By Mike Ward
November 13, 2008
The Sunset Advisory Commission has issued a report calling for the establishment of a Texas Juvenile Justice Commission led by an eleven member citizen board that would operate and coordinate all state probation and incarceration programs for youth offenders.
FOP rebukes sheriff for comments on deputies The Pekin Daily Times
By Sharon Woods Harris
November 11, 2008
The Fraternal Order of Police Lodge has accused Tazewell County Sheriff Robert Huston of acting inappropriately by commenting to the Daily Times about a complaint filed with the Sheriff's Office Merit Commission asking for the termination of correctional officers Richard Johnston, Jeffrey Bieber and Justin Piro for allegedly assaulting county justice center inmate Becky Behm. The Illinois State Police are investigating the incident and the officers are currently suspended without pay.
State Investigates Prison Sex Allegations The Flathead Beacon
By Associated Press
November 8, 2008
Four employees at the Montana State Prison have been placed on paid suspension while the state Department of Corrections investigates allegations that prison staff engaged in sexual activity with inmate Michael A. Murphy. A fifth worker who also was suspended with pay has ceased employment with the department.
Inmate Charged with Attempted Sex Assault Hartford Currant Courant Staff Report November 4, 2008 An inmate at the Corrigan-Radgowski Correctional Institution has been charged with kidnapping and attempted sexual assault after he forced a woman into a room inside the prison, locked the door and attacked her. Robert Dixon was charged Tuesday with attempted first-degree sexual assault, kidnapping, assaulting a public safety person, assault on a victim over 60, third-degree assault and threatening.
October
Ex-deputy sentenced to conditional discharge The Buffalo News
October 29, 2008
Former Erie County Sheriff’s Deputy Anthony Vick has pled guilty to disorderly conduct in connection with his suspected inappropriate contact with a 34 year old female inmate at the Erie County Correctional Facility.
Vt. Prison Rapes Rarely Reported WCAX News 3
By Brian Joyce
October 28, 2008
Chittenden Correctional Center inmates Josh Corrigan, Shawn Tallman, Christopher Blow and David Oleson have been charged with unlawful restraint and attempted sexual assault for allegedly attempting to sexually assault a teenage inmate at the facility.
Former Corrections Officer Reaches Plea Agreement in Sex Crimes Case WCAV News 19
By Hailey Frances
October 23, 2008
Former Fluvanna County corrections officer Patrick Gee has pled guilty to having consensual sex with two female inmates after recently being convicted on four counts of illegal sexual activity with inmates in separate incidents.
Correctional officer arrested for alleged inmate intimacy The Register-Herald
By Jackie Ayres
October 21, 2008
Southern Regional Jail correctional officer Stephen Gillespie has been charged with sexual misconduct with an inmate for allegedly having a sexual relationship with a female inmate at the facility.
Former Prison Guard Convicted CBS News 6
October 20, 2008
Former Pocahontas Correctional Unit chief of security Patrick Owen Gee has been convicted by a jury in Fluvanna County on four counts of illegal sexual activity with inmates.
Former prison instructor gets probation in inmate sex case Omaha World-Herald
By Todd Cooper
October 14, 2008
Former Omaha Correctional Center instructor Gary L. Fowler has been sentenced to two years of probation after pleading guilty to unlawfully relieving an inmate at the facility.
Correctional Officer Accused In Sex-For-Contraband Scheme WRTV News 6
October 3, 2008
Rockville Correctional Facility officer Roger Heitzman has been charged with official misconduct and trafficking with an inmate for allegedly exchanging tobacco, medication and jewelry for sex with at least one inmate.
Prison guard gets seven years for raping inmate The Plain Dealer
By Leila Atassi
October 3, 2008
Northeast Pre-Release Center officer Johnny Fortson has been sentenced to seven years in prison after being found guilty of three counts of rape, three counts of sexual battery and three counts of gross sexual imposition for raping an inmate and inappropriately touching two others at the facility.
September
Inmate says she was raped at DOC facility Pacific Daily News
By Beau Hodai
September 23, 2008
A female inmate at the Mangilao Adult Detention Facility has reported being sexually assaulted by fellow inmate Kenneth Afaisen, who has been charged with criminal sexual conduct.
Inmate says she was sexually assaulted by officer The Record
By Cara Bailey
September 18, 2008
Former Anthony Correctional Center inmate Ashley Radford has filed a lawsuit against the West Virginia Division of Corrections claiming she was sexually assaulted by supervising officer Dave Masters while incarcerated at the facility.
Sheriff's deputy charged sexual abuse of female inmate The Buffalo News
September 16, 2008
Sheriff's deputy Anthony Vick has been charged with second degree sexual abuse for alleged inappropriate contact with a 34-year-old female inmate at the Erie County Correctional Facility.
Jailer Indicted on Rape Charge WBKO
September 13, 2008
Boyd County Detention Center officer Charles Howard has been charged with first degree Rape for the alleged sexual assault of a female inmate he was transporting.
Former Dale County jailer now sex offender Dothan Eagle
By Ebony Horton
September 11, 2008
Former Dale County Jail officer Stanley Hamilton has been sentenced to two years of probation as will be required to register as a sex offender after pleaded guilty to custodial sexual abuse for having sexual relationships with at least two inmates at the facility.
Maricopa detention officer booked on sex assault charges KNXV News 15
September 10, 2008
Maricopa County detention officer Clayton Darnell Buycks has been charged with sexual abuse and kidnapping for allegedly fondling a female inmate in a courthouse elevator while she was being transported.
Guards at women's prison accused of relationships with inmates Knoxville News Sentinel
By Jim Balloch
September 8, 2008
Six officers at the Tennessee Prison for Women are under a departmental internal investigation for alleged inappropriate relationships with current and former inmates, bringing tobacco products into the facility and staff misconduct.
August
Former inmate says officer had sex with her The West Virginia Record
By Cara Bailey
August 21, 2008
Former West Virginia Regional Jail and Correctional Facility inmate Tammy Rucker has filed a lawsuit against officer Kevin R. Kessell for allegedly forcing her to engage in sexual acts with him before giving her contraband to keep her quiet and the jail authority for failing to supervise correctional officers while on duty, failing to have uniform standards regarding the proper treatment of incarcerated citizens, and failing to have standards regarding the use of physical violence, sexual contact, harassment and intimidation of the incarcerated citizens under their control.
Ex-deputy gets prison term for molesting inmates The Detroit News
By Valerie Olander
August 21, 2008
Former Livingston County Sheriff’s deputy Randy Boos has been sentenced to 43 months to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to three counts of second degree criminal sexual conduct for sexually molesting three female inmates while transporting them from the county jail to the justice center.
Former jail officer faces felony charge stemming from relationship with inmate Gazette Xtra
By Ted Sullivan
August 20, 2008
Former Walworth County correctional officer Ellen L. Madl has been charged with delivery of illegal articles to an inmate for allegedly giving a greeting card to an inmate at the facility that she is alleged to have a relationship with.
Inmate had sex with supervisor during work release, officials say The Providence Journal
By Tom Mooney
August 14, 2008
According to Rhode Island Department of Corrections Director A. T. Wall, work release inmate Jessica Gonzalez was not disciplined for an alleged sexual relationship with her supervisor due to the standard correctional practice of placing full responsibility on the figure of authority.
Defendants blame co-defendants in jail rape of teen WZTV FOX News 17
By Associated Press
August 14, 2008
Former Grant County Jail officers Wesley Lanham and Shawn Freeman have testified in a federal civil rights trial against them for allegedly allowing a teenage inmate at the facility to be raped.
Depcor inmate arrested for sexual assault KUAM News
By Sabrina Salas Matanane
August 11, 2008
Guam Residential Substance Abuse Treatment Unit inmate Kenneth Afaisen has been charged on three counts each of criminal sexual conduct, assault and terrorizing for allegedly sexually assaulting a female inmate.
Former Floyd corrections officer accused of having sex with inmate The News & Tribune
August 7, 2008
Former Floyd County Sheriff’s Department correctional officer Michelle A. Hurst has been charged with two counts of trafficking with an inmate and one count of sexual misconduct for allegedly having a sexual relationship with an inmate and bringing pain medication into the county Jail.
Woman-on-Woman Rape Claim at Rikers The Village Voice
By Graham Rayman
August 5, 2008
A female inmate at the Rikers Island Jail claimed that someone entered her cell while she was asleep and used an object to sexually assault her after an officer found her bound and gagged with bedsheets.
Former Walworth County jail inmate claims he was sexually assaulted by officer The Janesville Gazette
By Ted Sullivan
August 5, 2008
Former Walworth County Jail inmate Jonathan S. Reeves has filed a lawsuit in federal court accusing former correctional officer David W. Bickford of sexually assaulting him twice in 2002. Reeves claims jail officials were aware of Bickford’s sexual assaults against inmates dating back to 1991, but failed to intervene.
Ex-parole officer sentenced to 5 years The Times-Picayune
By Benjamin Alexander-Bloch
August 5, 2008
Former Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections probation and parole officer Shannon Stewart has pled guilty to four counts of malfeasance in office for sexually abusing three women who were under his supervision.
July
Correctional officer fired after sexual contact with inmate The Janesville Gazette
By Mike Dupre
July 30, 2008
Rock County probationary correctional officer John K. Housinga has been fired after an internal investigation showed the officer allegedly had inappropriate sexual contact with a female inmate. Criminal charges have not yet been filed against the officer.
Inmate booked with rape attempt The Times-Picayune
By Jeff Adelson
July 29, 2008
Slidell City Jail inmate Eric D. Poiroux has been charged with attempted simple rape and simple battery for allegedly assaulting and attempting to rape his cellmate.
Officer jailed for allegedly trading cigarettes for sex The Southern
By Becky Malkovich
July 24, 2008
Franklin County correctional officer Scott E. McMurray has been charged with three counts of custodian sexual misconduct for allegedly trading cigarettes for sexual favors from female inmates.
Maine prison guard charged with sex with inmate The Boston Globe
By Associated Press
July 11, 2008
Maine Correctional Center officer Glen Works has been charged with rape and failure to report a sexual assault for allegedly having a sexual relationship with an inmate at the facility.
Correctional Officer accused of sexual assault The Lusk Herald
By Kim O’Brien
July 9, 2008
Former Wyoming Women’s Center correctional officer Andrew Ravelo has been charged with sexual assault in the second degree by infliction of sexual intrusion on a victim and taking contraband into a penal institution or correctional facility for allegedly having a sexual relationship with an inmate and bringing compact discs or other items into the facility.
Ex-Victoria sheriff admits to perjury in sex-abuse case The Houston Chronicle
By Associated Press
July 4, 2008
Former Victoria County Sheriff Michael L. Ratcliff has pled guilty to aggravated perjury, admitting he lied to a grand jury about having sex with an inmate who accused him of sexual assault.
Sheriff vows to “prevent, detect and reduce” inmate sex abuse The Columbian
By Stephanie Rice
July 2, 2008
Clark County Sheriff Garry Lucas has vowed to prevent, detect and reduce incidents of sexual abuse against inmates at the county jail following a U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Statistics report that ranks the facility as having the second highest rate of sexual abuse in the country.
June
Prison assault latest involving illicit sex KTEN News 10
By Associated Press
June 30, 2008
Former Oklahoma Department of Corrections secretary Joi Ilene Starr has been charged with first degree rape for allegedly having a sexual relationship with an inmate.
Correctional officer admits 2 counts Daily Press
By Associated Press
June 23, 2008
Former Petersburg Federal Correctional Center officer Teresa Mendoza has pled guilty to carnal knowledge with an inmate and bribery of a public official for having a sexual relationship with an inmate and accepting money and gifts from an inmate in exchange for contraband such as cell phones, cigarettes and alcohol.
Prison officer accused of having sex with inmate The Chicago Tribune
By Associated Press
June 18, 2008
A Columbia Correctional Institution officer has been accused of having a sexual relationship with an inmate and giving him snacks and magazines and will likely be charged with multiple felony counts of second degree sexual assault of an inmate, delivery of articles to inmates and misconduct in public office.
Prison guard arrested in alleged sex with inmate The Capital Times
By Doug Shore
June 16, 2008
Columbia Correctional Institution officer Christine Killoran-Pulver has been charged with multiple felonies, including sexual assault and delivery of articles to an inmate for allegedly having a sexual relationship with an inmate at the facility.
Corrections officer indicted on charges of rape, sexual battery The Plain Dealer
By Sarena McRae
June 13, 2008
Former Women's Northeast Pre-Release Center corrections officer Johnny Fortson has been charged with rape, sexual battery and gross sexual imposition for the alleged sexual abuse of six inmates at the facility. Ohio Corrections Officer Admits to Sex With Inmates Officer.com
June 11, 2008
A Lake County correctional officer has resigned after admitting to having consensual sex with three female inmates at the county jail in Painesville. The inmates have declined to press charges but the officer may face felony charges by the state for misconduct pending an internal investigation.
Jail Guard Admits To Having Sex With Several Inmates News Net 5
June 10, 2008
A Lake County corrections officer has resigned after an internal investigation reveled allegations that he was having sexual encounters with several female inmates at the county jail.
Sex with corrections officers WHAS News 11
By Mark Hebert
June 10, 2008
Pewee Valley women’s prison officers Sergeant Robert Tingle and Captain Andrew Kerrick have been fired for their alleged sexual assault of inmate Alisha Brewer. No criminal charges have been filed against either of the two officers.
Men from Sharon halfway house accused of sexual assaults The Herald
By Tom Davidson
June 1, 2008
Sharon halfway house Community Corrections Center resident John Aaron Morris has been charged with indecent assault and open lewdness after allegedly making unwanted advances toward a woman on a bench at Bicentennial Park. Fellow resident Bryce Dale Southwick has been charged with involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and indecent assault for allegedly forcing a 15 year girl to perform oral sex on him.
May
Sheriff's deputies charge woman with having sexual relations with person in custody El Paso Times
May 29, 2008
Counselor Zina Wagner has been charged with violation of civil rights of a person in custody for allegedly having sexual relations with an inmate while employed at the West Texas Community Corrections Department Community Intervention Center.
Bullitt County deputy suspended after sex abuse allegation WAVE News 3
May 27, 2008
Bullitt County sheriff's deputy Joe Rogers has been suspended without pay and is under investigation for alleged sexual misconduct with a female inmate of the Kentucky Correctional Psychiatric Center.
Former prison guard given jail sentence for sex with inmate Mercury News
By Associated Press
May 24, 2008
Former Leo Chesney Community Correctional Facility officer Mark Susoeff has been sentenced to120 days in jail followed by three years of probation for having oral sex with a female inmate at the facility.
Changes at Monroe County Correctional Facility WNEP News 16
By Trish Hartman
May 16, 2008
Monroe County Correctional Facility has improved new inmate orientation, hired new staff and the county prison board will undergo intensive leadership training in an effort to address sexual abuse at the facility after several staff members faced charges for having sexual contact with inmates in 2006.
County to help guard accused of assault Fond Du Lac Repoter
By Amie Jo Schaenzer
May 9, 2008
Fond du Lac County has loaned Taycheedah Correctional Institution officer Jimmie L. Brown money to hire an attorney to represent him after being charged with thirteen counts of second degree sexual assault by correctional staff for allegedly having sexual contact with inmates at the facility.
Ex-prison guard said to consider abuse plea deal The Concord Monitor
By Annmarie Timmins
May 4, 2008
Former Shea Farm halfway house officer Douglas Tower has informed prosecutors that he will consider a plea agreement on eleven remaining charges against him for allegedly sexually assaulting thirteen female inmates under his supervision.
Ex-prison official indicted in sex case Richmond Times-Dispatch
By Frank Green
May 2, 2008
Former Pocahontas Correctional Unit chief of security Patrick Owen Gee has been charged with 30 counts of having carnal knowledge of inmates for allegedly having sexual relationships with three inmates at the facility.
April
Ex-Court Supervisor Accused Of Sleeping With Inmates News Channel 5
April 29, 2008
Davidson County Drug Court supervisor Shannon Turner has been fired for allegedly having sex with at least three female inmates at the county residential drug treatment facility.
Former Deputy Seeks New Sentence After Sex Abuse Plea WTOV News 9
By Natalie Pasquarella
April 28, 2008
Former Hancock County deputy Mark Smith is requesting a new sentence of home confinement at a reconsideration hearing after being sentenced in a plea agreement to one year in jail and 10 years of sex offender registration for pleading no contest to second degree sexual abuse.
Former youth inmates face charges Casper Star-Tribune
By Joshua Wolfson
April 25, 2008
Two former Casper Regional Juvenile Detention Center inmates have been charged are being prosecuted in connection with sexual assault allegations by other youth at the facility. Their identities and the specific charges have not been released due to the ongoing investigation.
$10M Settlement In Prison Sex Abuse Case CBS News
By Associated Press
April 19, 2008
Nine former Pocahontas Correctional Unit inmates have reached a tentative settlement with the Virginia Department of Corrections for $10 million dollars for alleged sexual abuse that occurred at the facility.
Correction Officer Indicted for Sex Abuse FOX News 8
April 18, 2008
Former Cuyahoga Hills Juvenile Correctional Facility officer Joanee Graham has been charged with two counts of sexual battery for allegedly performing oral sex on a male in custody.
Ex-Officer Sentenced For Misconduct With Juvenile Inmate WRTV News 6
April 15, 2008
Former Indianapolis Juvenile Correctional Facility officer Octavious Tyler has been sentenced to six months in a community corrections program after pleading guilty to two felony counts of sexual misconduct with a minor for engaging in sexual activity with a female at the facility.
Marion County juvenile center to be monitored for 3 years WSBT News 2
By Associated Press
April 14, 2008
County officials have agreed to monitor the Marion County Juvenile Detention Center for three years, provide status reports on security, health and safety and education and allow U.S. Department of Justice officials access to the facility, its records, staff and inmates following a probe into reports of sexual abuse of youth at the facility.
Former Roland Official Charged With Rape Of Inmate KHBS
April 14, 2008
Former Roland Oklahoma town manager Charles E. Day has been charged with multiple counts of rape for allegedly having sex with a female inmate at the town jail.
Ex-guard faces sodomy, rape charges Muskogee Phoenix
By Liz McMahan
April 14, 2008
Former Eddie Warrior Correctional Center officer Dean Craig Jimison has been charged with three counts of sodomy and three counts of rape for the alleged sexual abuse of an inmate at the facility.
Federal lawsuit alleges sexual misconduct in Monroe County jail LaCrosse Tribune
By Kevin Murphy
April 9, 2008
Former Monroe County jail night shift supervisor Lt. David Schaldach, Sheriff Charles Amundson and Undersheriff John Cram have been named in a federal law suit alleging that Schaldach had oral sex repeatedly performed on him by a female inmate who a jail nurse had recommended be placed on suicide watch.
Former juvenile detention guard gets probation in sexual abuse case Belleville News-Democrat
By Beth Hundsdorfer
April 8, 2008
Former St. Clair County Juvenile Detention officer Thomas O'Donnell has been sentenced to 48 months of probation after pleading guilty to official misconduct, custodial sexual conduct and two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse for molesting a youth at the facility.
Correctional officer accused of having sex with juvenile offenders WSBT News 2
By Jeff Parrott
April 7, 2008
An Indianapolis Juvenile Correctional Facility officer has been suspended after two female youth aged 15 and 18 reported having sexual contact with the officer.
Sex abuse, violence alleged at teen jails across U.S. CNN
By Ashley Fantz
April 4, 2008
The U.S. Department of Justice has filed lawsuits against nine states and two territories alleging sexual abuse in juvenile detention facilities in an effort to protect the civil rights of youth.
Three halfway houses riddled with problems KUSA News 9
By Adam Chodak
April 3, 2008
Colorado has terminated it’s contract with Avalon Correctional Services after an audit has revealed halfway houses run by the company are struggling with issues such as untrained employees and poor living conditions as well as inappropriate sexual relationships between staff and offenders.
Former corrections officer accused of sexual misconduct with inmate Spartanburg Herald-Journal
April 3, 2008
Former Tyger River Correctional Institution officer Lori Clawson Johnston has been charged with two counts of second degree sexual misconduct with an inmate at the facility.
March
Sex assaults spawn changes in prisoner transport rules Union Leader
By Gary Rayno
March 30, 2008
The New Hampshire Department of Corrections will add windows to doors in rooms where staff and inmates meet alone and additional surveillance cameras at the Shea Farm halfway house as well as require that all inmates be transported by an officer of the same gender as a result of a recent sexual assault lawsuit at the faciltiy.
The reality of prison rape remains difficult to research The Houston Chronicle
By Dane Schiller
March 28, 2008
The U.S. Department of Justice questioned wardens, guards and other prison officials over results of an inmate survey that show Texas has the nation's highest rate of sexual assaults in it’s correctional facilities during a recent hearing.
N.H. settles prison guard lawsuits for $1.85 million WCAX News 3
By Associated Press
March 28, 2008
New Hampshire has agreed to pay $1.85 million to 30 female inmates and a state Department of Corrections employee who accused former Concord halfway house officer Douglas Tower of sexually assaulting or harassing them.
Texas leads U.S. in rates of prison rape, survey finds Marshall News Messenger
By Mike Ward
March 28, 2008
According to a recent Bureau of Justice Statistics survey, Texas has the highest reported rates of sexual assault within correctional settings with 15.7 percent of all offenders in custody reporting that they had experienced some form of sexual abuse.
PdC Corrections Officer Charged with Sexual Assault of Inmates WKBT News 8
March 27, 2008
Prairie du Chien Correctional Institute officer James Trentin has been charged with 22 felony counts of sexual assault and six counts of delivering articles to inmates for allegedly providing chewing tobacco, candy bars, cologne and other items to inmates in exchange for sexual favors.
Former correctional officer arrested for sexual contact with inmate Charleston Daily Mail
By Zach Pettit
March 24, 2008
Former South Central Regional Jail officer Kevin R. Kessell has been accused of engaging in sexual contact with a female inmate while he was employed at the facility.
Guard accused of sex with inmates The Pueblo Chieftain
By Nick Bonham
March 20, 2008
La Vista Correctional Facility officer Kenneth Michael Martinez has been charged with sexual misconduct in a penal institution for allegedly having sexual relations with two female inmates at the facility.
Former TYC Officer Indicted on Charge of Having Sex With Teen at Al Price Unit KFDM News 6
By Scott Lawrence
March 20, 2008
Former Al Price Juvenile Correctional Facility officer Janice Marie Simpson has been charged with violating the civil rights of an 18 year old in custody at the facility for allegedly having a sexual relationship with the teenager.
Corrections Worker Charged with Rape WIBW
March 19, 2008
Topeka women's correctional facility officer Anastacio Gallardo has been charged with unlawful sexual relations and two counts of traffic in contraband in a correctional institution.
Jailer, Barnes County cleared in suit The Bismarck Tribune
By Associated Press
March 16, 2008
A jury has concluded that sexual acts between jail officer Kevin Schudar and an inmate were consensual and that Barnes County was not negligent for Schudar's actions.
2nd former inmate alleges misconduct by Dwight prison officials, files suit The Chicago Tribune
By Michael Higgins
March 12, 2008
Former Dwight Correctional Center inmate Shawntay Wright has filed a lawsuit alleging prison officials failed to investigate sexual misconduct by male guards.
Anchorage jail inmate files rape charges Anchorage Daily News
By Meg Holland
March 7, 2008
Anchorage jail complex inmate Elmer Seetot has been charged with 23 counts of rape for the alleged sexual assault of his cellmate, Berry Jack.
Rappahannock Correctional Officer Arrested ABC News 7
March 6, 2008
Rappahannock Regional Jail officer Richard Zacofsky has been charged with one count of carnal knowledge of an inmate and one count of sodomy by force, threat or intimidation for his alleged sexual abuse of a female inmate at the facility.
Former inmate accuses guards of raping her Chicago Tribune
By Kristen Kridel
March 4, 2008
A former Dwight Correctional Center inmate has filed a lawsuit against several facility employees alleging that a group of correctional officers sexually assaulted her at least 29 times over several months. She claims that the incidents were reported more than 20 times to the facilities internal affairs unit and that she sent three emergency grievances to the warden but never received a response. Since her release, she has given birth to a child conceived during her stay at the facility and will undergo DNA testing to identify which of the accused officers is the father.
Former corrections officer pleads no contest to sexual abuse of inmate The Grand Island Independent
By Mark Coddington
March 4, 2008
Former Hall County correctional officer Jason Keller has pled no contest to sexual abuse of an inmate for having sexual contact with a female inmate at the county jail. The inmate has denied that Keller used force, coercion or threats. Keller remains free on bond until his scheduled sentencing date pending his cooperation with a pre-sentence investigation.
February
Former corrections officer arrested on sex charges Sioux City Journal
By Dolly A. Butz
February 25, 2008
Former Woodbury County Jail officer Joshua Brunsting has been charged with third degree sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of a minor for allegedly having sexual relationships with two high school students aged twelve and fourteen.
Former inmate's claim of abuse goes to trial Rapid City Journal
By Heidi Bell Gease
February 20, 2008
Pennington County Jail officer Jermaine Leonard has been accused of raping inmate Mindy Kahle in her cell at the facility according to a civil lawsuit filed on behalf on Kahle. Sheriff's Deputy Tim Malone has also been named in the suit for failing to protect Kahle while Leonard was under his supervision.
Proposal would have inmate complaints go through commission The Gazette
By Rod Boshart
February 11, 2008
Iowa Deputy state ombudsman Ruth Copperrider has proposed that claims of discrimination made by inmates in prisons, local jails or residential corrections facilities should be subjected to the state's civil rights code.
State report critical of halfway house KUSA News 9
February 7, 2008
A report resulting from an investigation conducted by the Colorado Department of Public Safety has been released detailing a series of problems at The Villa halfway house ranging from untrained staff to case managers having sexual relationships with offenders.
Danbury federal prison guard accused of having sexual relations with inmate Newsday
By Associated Press
February 1, 2008
Federal Correctional Institution officer Michael Rudkin has been charged with sexual abuse of a ward for allegedly engaging in a sex act with a female inmate at the facility.
Jury awards $15.5 million to female inmates alleging sexual abuse Michigan Live
By David Eggert
February 1, 2008
A jury has unanimously awarded $15.5 million dollars to 10 female inmates at the Robert Scott Correctional Facility in a class action lawsuit against the Michigan Department of Corrections for failure to prevent sexual abuse by male officers. F
January
Lawsuit alleges women abused by prison guards Muskegon Chronicle
January 31, 2008
A group of current and former female inmates have filed a lawsuit against the Michigan Department of Corrections for allegedly suffering sexual abuse, assaults, extortion and harassment by male corrections officers in state prisons and camps.
Ex-prison guard headed to prison The Ann Arbor News
By Susan L. Oppat
January 30, 2008
Former Huron Valley Women's Prison correctional officer Jody Nunn has been sentenced to 43 months to 15 years in prison after being convicted of two counts of second degree criminal sexual conduct for sexually assaulting a female inmate in 2005.
Bill would create DOC grievance program The Olympian
By Adam Wilson
January 28, 2008
Washington lawmakers are pushing to create an independent agency to investigate complaints about the Department of Corrections with Senate Bill 5295.
Lifting limits on sexual abuse lawsuits WRN
By Andrew Beckett
January 17, 2008
Wisconsin lawmakers are considering lifting the statute of limitations for filing lawsuits in sexual abuse cases.
Teens can sue San Mateo County for sexual abuse at group home San Mateo County Times
By Michael Manekin
January 15, 2008
San Mateo County Superior Court Judge Marie Weiner has granted a motion to relieve youth that have filed a lawsuit against the county from a requirement that they file a claim against the county within six months of the alleged abuse. The youth have accused the county of failing to protect them from a sexual predator employed at a group home administered by Project 90.
Ex-jailer charged with sexual abuse Tomah Monitor Herald
By Anne Jungen
January 13, 2008
Former Monroe County sheriff’s deputy Lt. David Schaldach has been charged with abuse of a resident of a penal facility for allegedly having a sexual relationship with a female inmate under psychiatric care.
Accused Richland County jailer could take the stand in sex abuse case The News Journal
By Mark Caudill
January 10, 2008
Former Richland County Jail officer James Campain is scheduled to take the stand in defense of charges of against him for allegedly sexually abusing multiple female inmates at the facility.
Former prison officer gets jail in sex case The Republican
By Buffy Spencer
January 3, 2008
Former Hampden County Correctional Center officer Stanford Norman has been given a sentence of two to three years in prison after being convicted of having sex with a female inmate at the facility. Officer Brian K. Murphy was sentenced to two years of probation for assisting Norman.
Judge dismisses sex abuse lawsuit by women inmates at Albion The Buffalo News
By Dan Herbeck
January 2, 2008
A federal judge has dismissed a class action lawsuit filed by female inmates at the Albion Correctional Facility that accused the state of New York of not doing enough to prevent officers from sexually abusing inmates within state facilities.
State settles former inmate's sex abuse lawsuit Star Tribune
By Ben Neary
January 1, 2008
The state of Wyoming has agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by a former Rawlins state penitentiary inmate who claimed he was beaten and sexually assaulted by another inmate at the facility.
