Female inmate alleges sex misconduct Ocala.com
Suevon Lee
November 18, 2009
An inmate at Lowell Correctional Facility has filed a federal lawsuit against state prison officials for alleged sexual misconduct she faced at the hands of a former male corrections officer at the all-female prison in Ocala. The lawsuit, filed in Florida’s Middle District, names the Florida Department of Corrections, Florida Office of Inspector General and the prison’s warden among those who allegedly failed to provide meaningful and effective policy and procedures for inmates to report abusive behavior. The plaintiff, a 27-year-old woman, claims she was subject to multiple instances of sexual assault by former corrections officer Troy Saunders while she was incarcerated at Lowell in December 2005 and again in June 2007. For more information on this article click here.
NV prison guard firing for inmate romance upheld Las Vegas Sun
The Associated Press
November 14, 2009
A hearing officer has upheld the firing of a Nevada correctional officer for having a "romantic relationship" with an inmate. Hearing officer upheld the Department of Correction's decision to fire Amelia Jimenez because the weight of the evidence supports the conclusion that she had "an improper relationship" with inmate Jesse Le Blanc. Le Blanc admitted the relationship, but said it was romantic and not sexual in nature. For more information on this article click here.
Fresno County Jail Officer Accused of Sexual Abuse The Fresno Bee
November 11, 2009 A correctional officer at Fresno County Jail has been put on administrative leave while officials investigate allegations that the officer sexually abused an inmate. The officer was identified as Maria Veronica Quintanilla. Quintanilla is on paid administrative leave pending the results of a criminal and administrative investigation. An attorney for inmate Richard Burrell contacted the Sheriff's Office on Monday and reported the allegations. For more information on this article click here.
October 2009
Transgender teen says she was constantly abused in agency's custody The Philadelphia Inquirer
Sam Wood
October 31, 2009 A transgender teenager who identifies as a girl said she was subject to constant abuse and discrimination during 18 months in the custody of the Department of Human Services. At the Youth Study Center, the 16-year-old teen was placed in the boys' unit, where she said she was harassed by staff and residents despite a judge's order that she be addressed by her preferred female name and female pronouns. A complaint filed on the teen’s behalf contends she was physically attacked by other residents and orally abused by staff every day for almost a year and a half. The complaint contends she was subject to unlawful gender identity discrimination, sex discrimination and disability discrimination. For more information on this article click here.
Reporters prison access scrutinized
Topeka Capital-Journal
James Carlson
October 29, 2009 The Kansas Department of Corrections is pursuing disciplinary action against an area lawyer who helped a reporter chronicle illegal sexual relationships at the state's prison for women in Topeka. In an ethics complaint filed with the Office of Disciplinary Administrator, Charles Simmons, deputy secretary of corrections, says attorney Keen Umbehr misrepresented the occupation of Topeka Capital-Journal reporter Tim Carpenter when the two entered the Topeka Correctional Facility in August to interview two inmates.For more information on this article click here.
Ex-guard guilty of youth sex assault Reporter News
Celinda Emison
October 29, 2009
A former guard at the Texas Youth Commission’s Ron Jackson Juvenile Justice Center in Brownwood was found guilty of three counts of sexual assault of a child and one count of sexual assault. For more information on this article click here.
Two Jailers Arrested For Alleged Rape of Inmate News Channel 8 Oklahoma October 29, 2009 Two jailers at the Logan County jail have been arrested on charges of raping a female inmate in her cell. Rahmel Jefferies and Alexander Mendez each face two counts of rape and two counts of sodomy. Court documents say both have admitted going into the woman's cell on Oct. 9 and having sex with her. For more information on this article click here.
Ex-detective arrested for sexual battery on inmate WPTV-5 Florida
Carolyn Scofield
October 22, 2009
Former Detective Sergeant Tommie Joe Brock is facing criminal charges for checking a female inmate out of the jail in early June, walking her over, in handcuffs and leg shackles, to detectives' offices and forcing her to have sex. Brock reportedly checked the inmate out again on July 2nd and ordered her to perform oral sex. For more information on this article click here.
Monroe County settles jail lawsuit for $750,000 The Lacrosse Tribune
Kevin Murphy
October 14, 2009
Monroe County has agreed to pay $750,000 to a woman who accused a jailer of sexual abuse in 2002, according to her attorney. The settlement Monday is the third in recent years involving inmates with mental health conditions who claimed they were abused or neglected while in the Monroe County Jail. The woman had been diagnosed with a bipolar disorder before she was jailed in 2002 awaiting trial on a charge of felony battery to a police officer. While in jail, former night shift supervisor Lt. David Schaldach repeatedly had her perform a sex act on him, according to the suit. Schaldach was allowed to retire but later pleaded no contest to misconduct in public office in the Tomah woman's case. He was sentenced in July 2008 to 1½ years in prison. For more information on this article click here.
Private Prison Pays $1.3 Million to Settle Sexual Harassment, Retaliation Claims KKTV- Southern Colorado
October 13, 2009
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Tuesday announced a settlement for 21 women who claimed to have been discriminated against and sexually abused while working for Dominion Correctional Services, LLC and Corrections Corporation of America, both doing business as Crowley County Correctional Facility. According to the plaintiffs claims, the harassment and retaliation sometimes took the form of rape. In the settlement, the company did not admit liability. Two chiefs of security, who reported directly to the warden and to whom all security personnel at the prison reported, were allowed to resign after numerous complaints of sexual harassment and rape. For more information on this article click here.
Lawsuits allege sex abuse at women's prison: Former Coffee Creek employees are accused of sexual misconduct The Statesman Journal Alan Gustafson
October 11, 2009 Sexual misconduct cases are piling up at Oregon's prison for women, leading critics to accuse the state of failing to protect female inmates from predatory prison workers. Three former prison employees have been convicted this year of sexually abusing inmates at the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility in Wilsonville. Another former Coffee Creek employee, accused of sexual misconduct, is scheduled to stand trial in December. Yet another employee has been placed on leave pending the outcome of a state police investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct. Five women have filed lawsuits against the Department of Corrections and the state, accusing past and current Coffee Creek employees of sexual assault and battery, and faulting the prison system for lax supervision. Collectively, the civil suits seek tens of millions of dollars in damages. For more information on this article click here.
Oklahoma agency investigates inmate assault claims at the Governor's Mansion The Oklahoman
Ann Kelley
October 9, 2009
The state Corrections Department is investigating claims that three female inmates working at the Governor’s Mansion were sexually assaulted on the grounds by two state employees. According to records from the state Department of Central Services, Russell Humphries, an executive chef assigned to the mansion, and Anthony Bobelu, a groundskeeper supervisor at the mansion, were fired Sept. 29 for breach of departmental policy. For more information on this article click here.
Jail allowed sex, lawsuit alleges Fredricksburg.com
Dick Hammerstrom
October 8, 2009
A former woman inmate at the Rappahannock Regional Jail has filed a federal lawsuit against jail officials, alleging they permitted male correctional officers to abuse and have sexual relations with women prisoners. A former jail corrections officer, Richard Walter Zacofsky, has already been convicted of a felony count of carnal knowledge of an inmate for having sex with the woman. The lawsuit alleges that the jail authority operated “an institution which has as a matter of custom and usage tolerated sexual abuse of female inmates by male correctional personnel.” The suit named 22 staff members of the jail staff as defendants and said they were “indifferent to and recklessly disregarded” the woman’s sexual victimization. For more information on this article click here.
Victim sues Otter Creek prison owner Lexington Herald-Leader
Beth Musgrave
October 8, 2009
A Hawaii woman who was sexually assaulted while an inmate at Otter Creek Correctional Center in Wheelwright is suing Corrections Corp. of America and Hawaii state officials. In a lawsuit filed Monday in state court in Hawaii, the woman says the state of Hawaii and Corrections Corp. knew there were allegations of sexual abuse at the Kentucky facility but took no action to prevent future incidents. For more information on this article click here.
Jail inmate sues Multnomah County over alleged sexual abuse The Oregonian
Aimee Green October 06, 2009 A former inmate is suing Multnomah County and a former jail counselor for $600,000, claiming she'd been sexually abused by the counselor and then retaliated against by at least one deputy for reporting the abuse. Dennis Bruce Allen pled guilty in January to official misconduct and no contest to attempted custodial sexual misconduct. He resigned as a result of the investigation, and was sentenced to one day of jail, community service and probation. The lawsuit claims that Allen infringed on the woman's Fourth, Eighth and Fourteenth Amendment rights. The woman reported Allen's misconduct in June 2008, but afterward the suit claims that she suffered retaliation from jail staff. For more information on this article click here.
Kansas Lawmaker Calls for Prison Investigation KAKE ABC 10 News
Deb Farris
October 5, 2009 UPDATE: Senator Jean Schodorf from Wichita wants a complete investigation into the Kansas prison system. "I want to introduce a bill to make sex with an inmate a higher level crime. It's unacceptable," said Schodorf. A study of every prison in the country shows in 2007 there were more than 60,000 reports of sexual abuse by prison workers. The Kansas Department of Corrections says it is doing everything it can to prevent any abuse. For more information on this article click here.
Tryst, abortion, probation: After sex with Topeka prison employee, inmate decides to terminate pregnancy The Topeka Capital Journal
Tim Carpenter
October 4, 2009 UPDATE: Topeka Correctional Facility inmate Tracy Keith was tormented by repercussions of becoming pregnant while incarcerated at the state prison for women. Court records and interviews with prison guards, inmates and officials reveal TCF vocational teacher Anastacio "Ted" Gallardo struck a cash-for-oral-sex bargain with Keith, but demanded intercourse in the midst of that 2007 tryst inside a storage building at the east Topeka prison. Gallardo viewed the pregnancy as a business deal gone sideways. Keith saw it as rape. For more information on this article click here.
Ex Alabama Judge Accused of Sexually Abusing Inmates 2 CBS News Chicago
October 4, 2009 Herman Thomas, a respected circuit judge, had his career collapse under allegations that he brought inmates to his office and spanked them with a paddle. An indictment accused him of sexually abusing male inmates in exchange for leniency. A trial on charges of sodomy, kidnapping, sex abuse, extortion, assault and ethics violations is set to start Monday. Prosecutors say they have 15 current and former male inmates lined up to testify in a trial that could take several weeks. For more information on this article click here.
Women's prison: Sex trade The Topeka Capital Journal
Time Carpenter
October 3, 2009 Vocational plumbing instructor Anastacio "Ted" Gallardo's clandestine meeting with an inmate in a dusty storage building at the state women's prison in east Topeka was to be a simple exchange of cash for sex. Instead, the encounter indirectly pulled back the cover of a complex black market at the Topeka Correctional Facility catering to inmates' demand for contraband -- tobacco, pharmaceuticals, illegal drugs -- and the willingness of prison employees to engage in trafficking to gratify financial or carnal appetites. For more information on this article click here.
Escaped Juvenile Had Sex with Counselor ABC-2 News Dave Clark
October 1, 2009
Police have captured a youth who escaped Monday night from a privately run juvenile facility in Baltimore County with the aid of a female counselor. The counselor has been charged with harboring and child sexual abuse. State police say the counselor and the youth had sex after the escape. The youth escaped from the Chesapeake Treatment Center on the campus of the former Charles H. Hickey School. For more information on this article click here.
September 2009
DC Jail sergeant accused of paying pimp for sex with inmate The Examiner
Scott McCabe
September 28, 2009 A D.C. Jail sergeant has been suspended while corrections officials probe allegations that he had sex with an inmate after paying for it through her pimp. Jessica Rubio was an inmate at the Correctional Treatment Facility and charged in her lawsuit that she had sex with correctional counselor Sgt. Aundra Powell after he paid $50 to her "Sugar Daddy" on four occasions.The Correctional Treatment Facility is managed by the Corrections Corp. of America. For more information on this article click here.
Isle Inmates Plight Spurs Tighter Security: Male Guards at a Kentucky Prison Have Been Accused of Sexual Misconduct The Associated Press
Roger Alford
September 15, 2009 UPDATE: Investigators from the Kentucky Department of Corrections called for security improvements at a private women's prison to protect inmates from being sexually assaulted by male guards. State investigators looked into the handling of 18 alleged cases of sexual misconduct by guards in the past three years at the Otter Creek Correctional Complex and made 14 recommendations including basic strategies like assigning female guards to supervise the women in their sleeping quarters. Department of Corrections spokeswoman Jennifer Brislin said yesterday that a two-month probe by her agency turned up seven new allegations of sexual misconduct that she said will be reviewed for possible criminal and administrative charges. Investigators from the Department of Corrections recommended yesterday that security cameras be installed and that staffers be assigned to monitor the cameras. They also recommended that the company hire more female corrections officers, conduct a security assessment of all areas of the prison vulnerable to sexual assaults, and train all staffers on provisions of the Prison Rape Elimination Act. Justice Cabinet Secretary J. Michael Brown said last week that the state will not renew a contract to house inmates at Otter Creek unless Corrections Corp. of America hires a female security chief and hires a security staff that is at least 40 percent female. For more information on this article click here.
Sex complaints double against US prison workers The Associated Press
September 10, 2009
A new report from Justice Department inspector general Glenn Fine says abuse allegations against Bureau of Prisons staff increased dramatically from 2001 to 2008. Claims of sexual misconduct by staff more than doubled, rising 130 percent in the same period. According to the findings, female prison workers were more likely to be accused of sexual misconduct or abuse than their male counterparts, yet those women who were convicted were less likely to serve time behind bars. For more information on this article click here.
Former Scott County Jail Officer Charged with Having Sex with Inmate Southeast Missourian
By Bridget DiCosmo
September 10, 2009
A former Scott County correctional officer was arrested Wednesday on charges he had sexual contact with a prisoner in the county jail. Michael P. Proctor was caught on a surveillance camera leading a female offender into the jail's inmate property room. The camera captured the two entering the room, staying about five minutes, and then leaving empty-handed, according to the sworn statement. When sheriff's deputies interviewed the inmate, she admitted to having consensual sex with Proctor. Proctor confessed to the sex acts in subsequent interviews. For more information on this article click here.
Alleged Sexual Assault at Otter Creek Prison went Unreported Lexington Herald-Leader
Beth Musgrave
September 7, 2009 A privately run prison in Eastern Kentucky plagued with allegations of sexual improprieties involving guards and inmates did not report all sexual abuse incidents to the state. A Herald-Leader review of sexual-incident reports dating to 2006 showed that at least one alleged assault involving Otter Creek Correctional Center staff and a Kentucky inmate was not reported to the state by Corrections Corporation of America. Also, state correction officials said, Otter Creek hasn't followed the same reporting standards for sexual assaults as the state's 13 state-run prisons. For more information on this article click here.
Jail time rare for Colorado officers: Punishment can be key to prevention, but prosecution of jailers is difficult. The Denver Post
Felisa Cardona
September 6, 2009 From 2005 to 2007, investigators from the Colorado Department of Corrections confirmed 62 allegations of sexual misconduct levied against its employees and private contractors. But few of the employees involved faced serious criminal consequences for violating laws that bar illicit contact between jailers and the jailed. Experts say that preventing the abuse of inmates can come only if there is real punishment for the perpetrators. In June, a federal judge in Denver chastised the DOC in a written opinion, saying that the sexual abuse of inmates is a "distressing problem" in Colorado prisons. A Denver Post analysis of complaints filed with the Colorado DOC found that the sexual encounters with inmates are frequent in some prisons, and sometimes flaunted. Nude photos of a female DOC sergeant were found in one prisoner's cell. Sexual abuse of inmates occurred in an electrical closet, staff bathroom and law library. A prison commissary employee posted photos of the inmate she was having sex with on her MySpace page. For more information on this article click here.
Former Private Prison Worker Charged with Rape Lexington- Herrald-Leader By Dori Hjalmarson
September 2, 2009 A former employee of a privately run prison in Floyd County was indicted Tuesday on a felony charge of first-degree rape, officials said. At least four other employees as the prison have been charged with misdemeanor sexual abuse in the past three years. One case is set for trial later this month, court records show. Numerous inmates have come forward with complaints of sexual assault since media reports about the prison have been published. For more information on this article click here.
August 2009
Counselor Arrested for Sex with Inmate North Country Gazette August 12, 2009 A civilian counselor employed by the NYS Department of Corrections has been charged with having sexual contact with an inmate over a four month period. Michelle K. Finley has been charged with one count each of third degree criminal sex act, a felony; second degree sexual abuse and official misconduct, both misdemeanors. For more information on this article click here.
Officer Uses Camera to Watch Inmates in Shower News Channel 5
August 3, 2009 A Maury Countycorrectional officerreceived a written warning for watching female inmates in the shower. For more information on this article click here.
July 2009
Ex-state prison nurse charged with inmate sex acts The Associated Press
July 30, 2009
A former nurse at the State Correctional Institution-Greensburg is charged with institutional sexual assault for allegedly performing sex acts on an inmate when she was supposed to be checking his blood pressure. Authorities say the nurse also brought candy and cigarettes to the inmate, and used aliases to deposit $595 into his prison account over a two-year period. For more information on this article click here.
Officer Accused of Misconduct with Female Inmates Chicago Tribune Caroline Smith
July 28, 2009 A McHenry County correctional officerwas charged Monday withofficial misconduct and battery relating to his conduct with female inmates at the county's adult correctional facility. The McHenry Sheriff's Department investigated and corroborated charges alleging inappropriate contact between Elias Dario Fortoso and four female inmates. The charge ofsimple battery and one count of official misconduct concerns Fortoso allegedly"placing the hand of a female inmate on the outside of his pants touching his sex organ." The second charge of official misconduct,a Class 3 Felony, is with a separate inmate and refers to Fortoso "soliciting her to commit an act of public indecency by exposing her breasts to him." The victim of the battery charge alerted her public defender; the public defenderthen told police on July 13. They then began the investigation. For more information on this article click here.
Tougher prison sex laws sought in Kentucky Courrier Journal
Stephenie Steitzer
July 26, 2009
Kentucky is one of just three states that consider sexual contact between prison guards and inmates a misdemeanor rather than a felony offense. The Department of Corrections has tried in recent years to push a bill through the legislature that would increase the penalty from a maximum of 12 months in jail to a maximum of five years. The department is currently investigating sexual-abuse allegations involving as many as 16 Kentucky women housed at the privately run Otter Creek Correctional Center in Wheelwright. Proponents of strengthening custodial sexual misconduct laws say sex between an inmate and guard is never consensual because the guard is in a position of authority over the inmate.For more information on this article click here.
Ex-Corrections Officer Sentenced to Ten Months for Sex with Inmates Philadelphia Daily News
Michael Hinkelman
July 24, 2009
On June 22, 2008 corrections officer Aaron Fields was asked to conduct a trash call on his unit and asked for a female inmate by name. Fields escorted the female inmate off the unit a few minutes later. According to court filings, an employee at the FDC, on 7th and Arch streets, got off an elevator in the basement of the facility and observed the female inmate - identified only as "J.S." in court documents - bent over with her pants and underwear pulled down below her knees. Fields was charged with engaging in sexual abuse of an inmate and pled guilty. Yesterday Fields was sentenced the former corrections officer to 10 months behind bars. For more information on this article click here.
$250,000 Awarded in Prison Rape Case Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Linda Satter
July 17, 2009 A federal jury leveled $250,000 in punitive damages against former state Department of Correction officer Antonio Remley on Thursday after finding that he sexually assaulted a prisoner in late 2005. The jury also sided with the former prisoner on one of his claims against five other prison employees, agreeing that assistant warden Thomas Hurst, who was responsible for staffing and security, showed deliberate indifference to his needs and failed to protect him from the abuse. The lawsuit alleged that prison employees failed to follow the Prison Rape Elimination Act. The guard then pleaded guilty in 2007 to three counts of third-degree sexual assault and was sentenced to five years in prison; he is now free on parole. For more information on this article click here.
5 ex-inmates allege sex assaults at Ore. prison KOMO News- Seattle
The Associated Press
July 16, 2009
Five women have sued the state of Oregon and the state Corrections Department, accusing former Coffee Creek Correctional Facility employees of sexual assault, battery and harassment. The women, who are seeking millions in damages, contend negligence by the Corrections Department allowed the abuse to occur. The plaintiffs were inmates at the Wilsonville prison at the time of the alleged offenses. For more information on this article click here.
State investigating abuse reports at private prison Courier Journal
By Stephenie Steitzer
July 16, 2007 The state Department of Corrections is investigating allegations of sexual abuse against as many as 16 Kentucky women housed at the privately run Otter Creek Correctional Center in Wheelwright. State Police also are investigating allegations, reported June 23, that a Hawaiian inmate was sexually assaulted by a corrections officer at the women's only, Floyd County facility. Both facilities are owned and operated by Corrections Corp. of America. Kentucky Department of Corrections officials are reviewing reports dating to 2006, including incidents that were previously investigated. Kentucky has a $19.6 million contract in fiscal year 2009 with Corrections Corp. and Hawaii has a $3.6 million contract. For more information on this article click here.
Michigan is expected to settle prison suit for $100M: Female inmates allege sexual assaults, abuse by prison staff The Detroit News
July 16, 2009 The state of Michigan is expected to pay $100 million to settle a lawsuit by more than 500 female inmates who allege they were sexually assaulted, abused and harassed by male Corrections staff. Gov. Jennifer Granholm authorized the settlement on the advice of the Attorney General's Office, citing two previous trials in which prisoners were awarded nearly $60 million. "There is no admission of guilt or liability in these accusations; the governor and the Attorney General's Office felt it was in the best interest of all parties involved," Marlan said Wednesday. In January, the Michigan Court of Appeals unanimously upheld a $15.5 million settlement to 10 female inmates who claimed they were sexually abused by male prison guards at the Scott Correctional Facility in Plymouth. The court said the state had warnings dating back a decade that abuses were rampant in the facility. For more information on this article click here.
Prison sex charge brings resignation Cincinnati Inquirer
Jennifer Baker
July 15, 2009 UPDATE: A former case manager at the Lebanon Correctional Institution indicted this week for having sex with a prisoner multiple times quit after authorities interviewed her last month. It’s at least the third incident of alleged criminal behavior by employees at the prison since May. Iona D. Cowan resigned immediately after speaking with investigators from the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Cowan faces four counts of sexual battery. A spokesman for the Warren County Prosecutor’s Office said Cowan had sex with the prisoner between May 12 and June 11. She was caught by people who monitor the prison surveillance system. For more information on this article click here.
Ex-Iowa jailer pleads not guilty to abusing inmate The Chicago Tribune
The Associated Press July 14, 2009
Kevin Hines, a former Dallas County jailer, has pled not guilty to charges of third-degree sexual abuse and sexual misconduct with an offender. Hines is accused of forcing sex on the inmate while she was in a temporary jail in Waukee in December. Hines resigned from the sheriff's department in April. For more information on this article click here.
Female Officer Indicted for Prison Sex The Cincinnati Inquirer Alex Shebar
July 13, 2009 A female corrections officer was indicted Monday for allegedly having sex several times with a male prisoner at the Lebanon Correctional Institute. Authorities said Iona D. Cowan had four different sexual encounters with a male prisoner at the Lebanon Correctional Institute. The encounters happened between May 12 and June 11; during that time, Cowan was employed by the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. Cowan was caught by the people who monitor the prison surveillance system and indicted Monday on one count of sexual battery. Her court date has not been set. It is unclear if Cowan still works at the Lebanon Correctional Institute. For more information on this article click here.
Dallas County Jailer Accused of Sexual Assault on Inmate DesMoines Register Jared Strong July 2, 2009
A former Dallas County jail official is accused of raping a female inmate in December. Kevin Paul Hines is charged with felony sex abuse and misconduct with an offender. Hines “did engage in a sex act by force and against the will of ... an adult female, who was incarcerated,” a state Department of Criminal Investigation agent wrote in the complaint against Hines. Hines resigned from the Dallas County Sheriff’s department. The felony charge carries up to a 10 year prison sentence. Hines is the second Dallas jailer accused of having sex with female inmates in the last three years. Deke Gliem was sentenced to eight years in prison last year after he traded telephone cards and other items to inmates for “favors” in 2006. For more information on this article click here.
News Coverage of the National Prison Rape Elimination Commission Release of its Report and Standards
Elliott Jailer Sentenced to 12 Years for Rape Conviction WSAZ News Channel 3
Randy Yohe
June 30, 2009
Elliott County Jailer Charles Howard will spend 12 years in prison after being convicted of 1st degree rape. Howard was convicted after a week long trial in which a jail inmate testified that Howard took her to a remote area and assaulted her. For more information on this article click here.
Delaware County Jail Inmates Allege Sexual Assaults The Oklahoman: News OK
Ron Jackson and Sheila Stogsdill June 26, 2009 Four former Delaware County jail female inmates have filed a civil lawsuit accusing the sheriff of covering up such crimes as rape and sexual battery as well as blackmail attempts and death threats committed against them by jailers. For more information on this article click here.
Prison guard accused of raping inmate: Man resigns from Department of Correction following allegations he coerced woman into sex The News Journal
Ira Porter
June 25, 2009 A longtime Delaware Department of Correction employee resigned recently after he was implicated in a rape involving an inmate at the Women's Work Release Treatment Center in New Castle. Delaware State Police said the incident happened April 11 and involved correctional officer Sgt. Roger L. Thompkins and a 24-year-old inmate at the center. According to court documents, Thompkins coerced the woman into having sex with him three times that day by telling her he would be present at a disciplinary hearing she had, and he could make her go back to jail. He was charged with second-degree rape, unlawful sexual contact, sexual relations in a detention facility and official misconduct with unauthorized exercise of official functions and acts constituting coercion. For more information on this article click here.
Denver youth facility staffer charged with abuse The Denver Post
Howard Pankratz
June 25, 2009 A residential treatment center staff member has been charged with sexually assaulting a 16-year-old client. Matthew Crum was charged Wednesday with one count of sexual assault on a child. For more information on this article click here.
Jail officer suspended after sex act alleged: Incident with inmate occurred in February Southern Maryland News
John Wharton
June 24, 2009 A St. Mary's correctional officer has been suspended from work as she stands accused of a sex act with a man serving time in jail last winter. For more information on this article click here.
Ex-Sebastian County Jailer Charged With Sexual Abuse Times Record
Amy Sherrill
June 24, 2009
A former Sebastian County Detention Center deputy accused of sexually assaulting two female inmates has been charged with two felony counts of third-degree sexual abuse. Leon Wilson Wood was arrested June 15 and terminated from his position. Wood allegedly entered an isolated cell in the medical area of the Detention Center during early morning hours of June 15 and demanded sexual acts from two female inmates, authorities said earlier. He gave the two women Motrin, a mini-Snickers and part of a bottled soft drink, according to court documents. Wood allegedly went to the inmates’ cell for sex on at least four occasions during his 12-hour shift. For more information on this article click here.
Prison Litigation Reform Act Denies Access The Hudson Valley Press
June 19, 2009 In light of a new report showing that a law intended to reduce so-called “frivolous lawsuits” by prisoners has resulted in barring serious prison abuse cases from reaching the courts, the American Civil Liberties Union today called on Congress to amend parts of the Prison Litigation Reform Act of 1996 (PLRA). The troubling consequences of the PLRA are made clear in a Human Rights Watch report released today which finds that the exhaustion and physical injury requirements of the law have been particularly problematic for juveniles who are at higher risk of sexual assault and other violence. According to Amy Fettig, Counsel to the ACLU National Prison Project: “For over thirteen years, the Prison Litigation Reform Act has denied access to the courts to countless prisoners who have become victims of abuse, creating a system of injustice that denies redress for prisoners alleging serious abuses, barriers that don’t apply to anyone else. It is time for Congress to pass legislation to restore the courts as a needed check on prisoner abuse.” For more information on this article click here.
Corrections Contractor Charged In Client's Rape Indy Channel 6 June 15, 2009 A contract worker with the Marion County Community Corrections Agency was charged Monday with raping a woman he was fitting for an electronic monitoring ankle bracelet. Brima Kemokai was indicted on a charge of official misconduct after he admitted to offering to show a woman how to outsmart her home-detention device if she would have dinner and go back to his place with him. While investigating that case, corrections officials told police that another woman had made a complaint against Kemokai three days earlier. That woman told police she had gone to get her ankle bracelet repaired on the evening of June 6, Kemokai made several sexual advances toward her, including telling her that she could have his baby, according to the probable cause affidavit. She told police that, under the pretense of trying to find a signal for her GPS equipment, Kemokai led her to an empty office, where he then raped her. Kemokai was charged Monday with rape, criminal confinement and two counts of official misconduct.For more information on this article click here.
New Doe law shields corrections officers Backers say it will reduce frivolous suits Journal Sentinel
Patrick Marley
June 12, 2009 Gov. Jim Doyle signed a bill Friday that supporters say will stop prisoners from launching frivolous lawsuits against correctional officers. Currently, anyone can file John Doe complaints with judges that require them to take testimony, even when there is no evidence of a crime. Correctional officers say inmates have abused the system, leading to meritless complaints that tie up courts and force officers to pay legal expenses. Under the law, judges would have more discretion than they do now in deciding how to conduct those inquiries. For more information on this article click here.
$1M awarded to 5 Washington inmates in sex-assault lawsuit
Seattle Times
Jennifer Sullivan
June 12, 2009 The state Department of Corrections will pay $1 million to settle part of a class-action lawsuit filed by current and former female inmates who allege they were sexually assaulted by prison guards. A group of inmates at the Washington Corrections Center for Women, filed the lawsuit against former corrections Secretary Harold Clarke in July 2007. The women allege that sexual assaults by staff were rampant and that the Department of Corrections (DOC) failed to adequately investigate their complaints. Between 2003 and 2007, there were at least 41 allegations of sexual misconduct by corrections employees against inmates investigated at the Pierce County women's prison. DOC spokesman Chad Lewis said there were 94 reports of sexual misconduct involving staff and offenders at all 15 state prisons in 2008. Of those, DOC investigators substantiated 23 of them. Blonien said the agency has improved staff training, provided victim advocates to offenders, and increased the office that handles prison-sex allegations to include four investigators and an administrator. For more information on this article click here.
Judge: Sexual abuse of inmates ‘distressingly common’ in state The Denver Post By Felisa Cardona June 12, 2009
A female inmate awarded $1.3 million because she was sexually assaulted by a prison guard was victimized during a period in which 197 reports of sexual misconduct were made against state prison staff. One, the 2006 case involving former prison Sgt. Leshawn Terrell, was an example of "horrific violence" that moved U.S. Circuit Judge David Ebel to lambaste the way the department handles sexual assault by its employees in his decision to award $1.3 million to the inmate. "Further, the court received evidence that it is not uncommon for CDOC to have to dismiss prison staff at the Denver complex because of sexual misconduct," he wrote. For more information on this article click here.
Inmate wins 1.3 million in Denver rape case The Denver Post
By Felisa Cardona June 11, 2009 A female inmate sexually assaulted by a Colorado Department of Corrections sergeant was awarded $1.3 million Wednesday by a federal judge who said he hoped the damages would be a deterrent to other correctional officers. U.S. Circuit Judge David Ebel stated, "... The right to be safe from sexual assault and rape by one of her guards turned out to be worth no more than the paper upon which (the regulation) was printed. Ebel also said that based on testimony from other inmates who corroborated the victim's experience, he believes the DOC does not effectively enforce a zero-tolerance policy on sexual abuse of inmates. Terrell pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of unlawful sexual contact and was sentenced to 60 days in jail. The judge also criticized that sentence as too short. The $1.3 million includes $354,070 in compensatory damages for the victim's medical costs and emotional suffering and $1 million in punitive damages against Terrell. For more information on this article click here.
May 2009
NJ Prison Worker Accused of Having Sex with Inmate Pilly.com The Associated Press
May 29, 2009
A New Jersey prison employee is charged with having sex with an inmate. Michael Hawthorne, a cooking teacher, at East Jersey State Prison in Rahway is accused of having a sexual relationship with a 28-year-old inmate in April and May and giving him a cell phone. Hawthorne is suspended without pay and held on $100,000 bail. For more information on this article click here.
N.M. Inmate May Have Impregnated Guard The Albuquerque Journal covered by CorrectionsOne
T.J. Wilham
May 27, 2009
The District Attorney's Office is reviewing reports that a corrections officer became pregnant after having sex with an inmate in the cellblock she supervised at the Metropolitan Detention Center. The officer, Reyna Lujan, resigned while detectives were investigating the allegations. The inmate, Erik Braman, moved in with Lujan after he was released in January. Lujan, who has been a correctional officer for four years, has denied having sex with her prisoner and has not been charged. After a tip from an inmate, Jail staff started an inquiry and pulled hundreds of recordings of phone calls from the jail to Lujan's cell phone number. On the recordings, the two could be heard talking about their relationship, sexual activities and Braman being the father of Lujan's child. For more information on this article click here.
Female guards OK’d to Strip-search Male Inmates San Francisco Chronicle Bob Egelko
May 21, 2009
A male prisoner can be strip-searched by a female guard even if male officers are available, a federal appeals court has ruled. In a 2-1 decision, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco dismissed an Arizona inmate's claims that jail officials had violated his rights by having a female guard trainee search inside his shorts and pat down his genitals. Byrd sued, claiming he had suffered pain and humiliation. A jury found no evidence that the probe had been conducted painfully, and the appeals court upheld a judge's ruling that the search was constitutional. Although male guards were available, an officer testified that there hadn't been enough men to search all the inmates. A ban on searches by female guards would "significantly limit" their usefulness said the officer. For more information on this article click here.
Woman Indicted on Charges of Sex with an Inmate Watertown Daily Times
David Winters
May 17, 2009
A suspended Gouverneur Correctional Facility employee was indicted on charges of having sex with an inmate. Laura E. Douglass faces charges of third-degree rape, third-degree criminal sexual act, first-degree promoting prison contraband and two counts of official misconduct. She is accused of having sex with a male inmate in December and providing a knife to an inmate in 2008. Ms. Douglass was among three women charged in the fall for allegedly having sex with inmates at the prison. Lisa A. Vaughn pleaded guilty last month to felony third-degree rape. The plea agreement calls for her to receive 10 years' probation and register as a sex offender when sentenced this month. She was accused of having oral sex, sexual intercourse and sneaking food, cigarettes and postage stamps to inmates. The third woman Rachael S. Patterson also faces charges of having sex with inmates. All three were suspended without pay pending the outcome of their criminal cases and face disciplinary charges with the state Department of Correctional Services. For more information on this article click here.
4 female Ulster County correction officers file suit: Claim sexual harassment rampant at jail Times Herald-Record
Adam Bosch
May 14, 2009
A group of female correction officers has filed a federal lawsuit, accusing supervisors of allowing rampant sexual harassment and discrimination inside the Ulster County Jail. The suit depicts the jail as a frat house-type environment where male officers watch porn and make lewd comments about female co-workers and inmates. Female officers who complain are often given less desirable duties inside the jail or skipped over for promotions, the suit says. The suit is against Sheriff Paul Van Blarcum, former Sheriff Richard Bockelmann, jail Superintendent Bradford Ebel and Deputy Superintendent Ray Acevedo. Another federal claim was filed in June by a female correction officer who accused a jail corporal of forcibly touching her genitalia. For more information on this article click here.
California LGBT Prisoner Safety Act to Protect Gay and Transgendered Inmates Associated Content Sylvia Cochran May 13, 2009 Tom Ammiano introduced Assembly Bill No. 382, the LGBT Prisoner Safety Act. The legislation protecting LGBT inmates from rape was initially introduced on February 23rd, but it was not until May 11th that it passed the assembly with bipartisan support. Passage of the LGBT Prisoner Safety Act introduces "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" as criteria the Department of Corrections would take into consideration when classifying inmates and allocating their housing. For more information on this article click here.
Ex Inmate Alleges Prince Georges Jail Tryst The Washington Post
Ruben Castaneda
May 13, 2009
The head of security at the Prince George's County jail was suspended yesterday while authorities investigate allegations that, as a guard two decades ago, she smuggled food and alcohol into the facility for an inmate with whom she was having a sexual relationship. Lt. Col. Kathleen M. Costello was placed on paid leave after an attorney for the former inmate wrote to jail officials describing the relationship and requesting an investigation. After inmate Kristine L. Krick was released, she and Costello were involved for many years until they split in 2005. Costello’s attorney, Susan Silver acknowledged that Krick and Costello were together for years as domestic partners. They moved in together within two weeks of Krick's release from the jail. At the time of her incarceration, Krick was 21 and said she was afraid of being attacked by other inmates in the jail. She said Costello began visiting her cell to talk and then began bringing her food from outside the jail and putting money in her commissary account. After about two months, Krick said, the relationship became sexual. Krick said that she struggled for years with the question of reporting Costello's alleged misconduct. For more information on this article click here.
Ex-deputy arrested in alleged rape of inmate WXTV-15
Associated Press
May 11, 2009
A former East Baton Rouge Parish deputy has been arrested for allegedly raping a Parish Prison inmate. A fellow deputy reported the incident and following an investigation the deputy was immediately fired and booked on one count each of aggravated rape and malfeasance by sexual misconduct. For more information on this article click here.
Franklin County Jail guard charged with sex abuse:Probe says county CO had sex contact with inmate The Press Republican
Denise Raymo
May 7, 2009 A correction officer at Franklin County Jail was charged Thursday with sexually abusing a female inmate. Ronald S. Martin was charged with second-degree sexual abuse and official misconduct. Two other women being held at the jail had complained about Martin's actions toward the female inmate. For more information on this article click here.
Prison Guard Accused of Drug Smuggling The News Journal
Terri Sanginiti
May 4, 2009
A correctional officer was arrested on drug charges following an investigation into drug smuggling at Vaughn Correctional Center. Sidney Nunn was charged with possession with intent to deliver marijuana, maintaining a vehicle, conspiracy, possession of drug paraphernalia and promoting prison contraband. For more information on this article click here.
Bill in Texas Legislature would create oversight board for TYC, juvenile probation panel The Dallas Morning News
Robert Garrett and Emily Ramshaw
May 3, 2009 A measure tentatively endorsed Saturday will create an oversight board to make improvements and recommendations to both agencies and to ensure youth have a seamless transition between incarceration and probation. For more information on this article click here.
April 2009
Guards accused of having sex with girl inmates The Daily Comet
Matthew Pleasant and Naomi King
April 30, 2009
Allegations that guards at Terrebonne’s juvenile detention center had sex with teenage girl inmates in exchange for food, phone calls and other favors have now yielded four arrests, and authorities say more are imminent. Detectives have documented accusations from at least five girls held at the center over the past year and as recently as a month ago. Officers have been charged with molestation of a juvenile, indecent behavior with a juvenile, malfeasance in office and obstruction of justice. For more information on this article click here.
Ex-jail nurse on trial for alleged sexual abuse of four inmates Tucson Citizen
Sheryl Kornman
April 29, 2009 A former Pima County Jail nurse is accused of five felony counts of sexual abuse and five felony counts of unlawful sexual conduct. Four former inmates testified he touched their breasts for sexual pleasure during visits to the jail's medical suite. For more information on this article click here.
Sheriff’s Office: A jail guard from Lockport faces sex abuse charges Lockport Union-Sun & Journal
Mark Scheer
April 22, 2009 A correction officer with the Niagara County Sheriff’s Department has been suspended with pay following his arrest on charges that he had inappropriate sexual conduct with a female inmate at the county jail. Correction officer Scott W. Magill faces five counts of sexual abuse in the second degree, a class A misdemeanor. County Sheriff James Voutour said the charges stemmed from five separate incidents that were alleged to have occurred in the past month. For more information on this article click here.
Ex- Nebraska Jail Guard Denies Sexual Assault of Inmate The Associated Press April 17, 2009
An ex-Nebraska jail guard is accused of sexually assaulting an inmate while working in the Gage County jail. The officer pled not guilty to charges of sexual assault and sexual abuse of an inmate. Court records say the woman told her mother that she was sleeping in her cell when the officer entered it and assaulted her. For more information on this article click here.
Feds: Gang Smuggled Goods, Weapons Into Jail; Guards, Prison Employees Charged In Smuggling Ring NBC 11: WBAL TV
April 16, 2009
Federal prosecutors said a drug gang known as the Black Guerrilla Family smuggled drugs, weapons, cell phones and luxuries such as champagne into Maryland prisons, where members continued to operate the drug ring. The U.S. attorney's office announced indictments Thursday against 24 gang members and associates, including guards and other prison employees who helped smuggle contraband. All face conspiracy, drugs and weapons charges. For more information on this article click here.
Court Deems Two TYC Firings Unconstitutional WiredPRNews.com April 16, 2009 A federal judge ruled that the termination of two employees at the state juvenile detention center were improperly handled. San Antonio District Judge Orlando Garcia ruled that the state wrongly terminated two TYC employees, Patricia Logterman and Corinne Alvarez-Sanders, and the state implemented measure that allowed the agency to fire employees without cause is not constitutional. The judge ruled that the reform measure signed by Texas governor Rick Perry in 2007 in an effort to clean up the agency was unjustly applied to workers who had been hired as “for cause employees.” The agency is said to state that those fired were provided hearings for termination as policies outlined for the agency stipulate. Further hearings are set to be heard on the matter. For more information on this article click here.
Ex-prison Worker Pleads Guilty to Sex with Inmates Watertown Daily Times
David Winter
April 14, 2009
Lisa A. Vaughn , a former laundry supervisor at the Gouverneur Correctional Facility employee admitted to having sex with an inmate. Vaughn pleaded guilty Monday to felony third-degree rape. The plea agreement calls for her to receive 10 years probation and register as a sex offender when sentenced May 18. She was also accused of having sexual intercourse and oral sex with four inmates and was accused of sneaking food, cigarettes and postage stamps to inmates. She was a laundry supervisor at the medium-security state prison. Ms. Vaughn was charged in November with 16 counts each of third-degree rape, third-degree criminal sexual act and official misconduct and four counts of second-degree promoting prison contraband. Two other Gouverneur Correctional Facility employees, Rachael S. Patterson, 32, Ogdensburg, and Laura E. Douglass, 38, Potsdam, also face charges of having sex with inmates. Their cases are pending. For more information on this article click here.
Rape Allegations a Delaware Prison WPVI 6abc Action News
April 13, 2009
The Delaware Department of Corrections confirms a corrections officer is on leave while being investigated on allegations of rape. State Police say the incident happened at the Women's Work Release Treatment Center. Investigators are releasing few details, except to say an investigation is underway. For more information on this article click here.
March 2009
Former Alabama judge indicted on inmate sex charges CNN
Ashley Broughton
March 31, 2009 A former south Alabama judge is accused of checking male inmates out of jail and forcing them to engage in sexual activity including paddling. Former Mobile County Circuit Judge Herman Thomas was arrested Friday after a grand jury returned the indictments against him. The indictments total 57 counts, and the charges range from ethics violations to kidnapping, extortion, sex abuse and sodomy. If convicted on the most serious charge -- kidnapping, a Class A felony -- Thomas faces a prison sentence of 10 to 99 years in prison. Thomas' attorney said the accusations against the former judge amount to "a high-tech lynching” and are "racism at its very finest."Thomas denies all the charges, and he questioned the credibility of the alleged victims. "Everybody that's listed in the indictment is either serving life for murder or some other horrible crime." Some have already recanted. For more information on this article click here.
Ex-correctional officer ordered to pay fine in plea The Northwestern Jennifer K. Woldt March 28, 2009
A former Winnebago County correctional officer accused of having sexual contact with a female inmate has been ordered to pay a $200 fine plus court costs after pleading no contest to two counts of obstructing an officer. According to the criminal complaint, the officer was a correctional officer at the Winnebago County Jail when he had inappropriate sexual contact with a female inmate. He was originally charged with second-degree sexual assault by a correctional officer and misconduct in office. Thomas Coaty, who was serving as a special prosecutor in the case said issues that would have made it difficult to take the case before a jury were discovered during the course of the investigation, including several videotapes from the jail being destroyed by lightning and some credibility issues with the female victim, who is currently in jail awaiting sentencing on a felony conviction. Coaty said he believed a fine was the appropriate punishment given that the incident occurred in 2004 and the repercussions the officer faced of losing his job in law enforcement. For more information on this article click here.
To Cut Costs, States Relax Prison Policies The New York Times
Jennifer Steinhauer
March 25, 2009
Recessions tend to prompt changes to corrections policies. After the recession at the start of this decade, numerous states enacted laws eliminating some long mandatory minimum sentences; several began to offer early release and treatment options to some drug offenders. In the past 20 years, correction department budgets have quadrupled and are outpacing every major spending area outside health care, according to a recent report by the Pew Center on the States. With 7.3 million Americans in prison, on parole or under probation, states spent $47 billion in 2008, the study said. Faced with such costs, even states known for being particularly tough on crime are revisiting their policies and laws. For more information on this article click here.
ACLU reports abuse charges at 2 St. Louis jails in newly released 74-page report Associated Press March 24, 2009
The American Civil Liberties Union of Eastern Missouri alleges a pattern of beatings, sexual misconduct and other crimes at two jails in St. Louis. The report quotes six corrections officers who wish "to remain anonymous because of the atmosphere of intimidation and retaliation" in the jails. Allegations include that guards bring drugs into the facilities and that inmates are denied medications and made to lie in filth and waste. For more information on this article click here.
Former Sheriff Sentenced To 79 Years In Prison KTUL- abc News Channel 8 March 24, 2009 Former Custer County Sheriff Mike Burgess has been sentenced to 79 years in prison after his conviction on charges of sexual abuse involving inmates and defendants. Burgess was convicted in January on 13 counts, including forcible oral sodomy, kidnapping, sexual battery and rape. For more information on this article click here.
State ‘On Guard’ for Inmate-Officer Relations: Official says 12 cases in 5 years at Brevard Institution is Tame Florida Today
John Torres
March 23, 2009
In the past five years, officials have investigated at least 12 allegations of sex or improper relationships between male inmates and female officers or staff members at the Brevard Correctional Institution, according to state records. Eight officers and one counselor resigned or were fired in those incidents. Five cases were proven to have involved sexual relationships. There are 14 open investigations for 2008. Staff members weren't fired, for example, in cases of prohibited relationships that involved officers breaking policy by mailing letters for inmates or by doing other favors, but there were no second chances for sexual interaction. Florida law considers sex between a corrections officer and an inmate to be sexual battery, a felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison. Officials said none of the women disciplined in the Brevard cases were charged with a crime because none were caught in the act and because the inmates were not cooperative. One female officer was found with her pants down, but sexual activity had not begun. For more information on this article click here.
Three prison workers held in smuggling The Houston Chronicle
March 17, 2009
Three employees at a county-owned but privately managed West Texas prison have been indicted on charges that they took bribes to smuggle in contraband. For more information on this article click here.
Bill Would Change Searches of Maryland Prison Workers The Herald-Mail
Erin Cunningham
March 17, 2009
Del. Christopher B. Shank (R-Washington) is introducing a bill into the MD legislature to prevent improper searches of staff coming into correctional facilities. The bill is being introduced after two MD Correctional Officers were improperly strip searched in August of 2008. For more information on this article click here.
Former jailer indicted by grand jury for relationship with inmate The Daily Sentinel
Andrew Goodridge
March 16, 2009
A Nacogdoches grand jury has indicted a former jailer on a charge of having an improper sexual relationship with a person in custody. Lori Wade was arrested after allegations arose that she conspired to help inmate Charles Cameron Frazier escape from the facility. The police began an internal investigation that revealed she formed an inappropriate relationship with him and agreed to smuggle contraband into the facility for him. They were crafting a plan to potentially break him out of jail. This is the second jailer to be terminated and arrested due to allegations of improper involvement with Frazier. Deanna Lynn Jopling, a former jail sergeant, was fired from her position at the jail in May 2008 after she was charged with conspiracy to possess a controlled substance in a correctional facility. For more information on this article click here.
Correctional Officer Arrested WMBD/WYZZ TV
March 13, 2009 A Peoria County Correctional Officer is on unpaid administrative leave after charges are filed that he allegedly slapped a prisoner. Michael Hulse faces charges of battery and official misconduct. For more information on this article click here.
Female Guard Charged with Raping Teen WSMV-TV/ MSNBC
March 13, 2009 A woman who worked as a guard at the Metro Juvenile Detention Center is accused of having a sexual relationship with a teenager under her watch. Tammy Graves worked at the center for 10 years and had never been in trouble until her bosses warned that she was getting too close with a teenager. In January, supervisors at the detention center said they became suspicious after observing flirtatious behavior between Graves and the 17-year-old boy. Graves was written up and told to clean up her act. Officers said last month Graves met up with the 17-year-old boy and bought him alcohol and admitted they had sex. She has been suspended from work, banned from all juvenile facilities and charged with aggravated statutory rape and contributing to the delinquency of a minor for providing the teenager with alcohol. For more information on this article click here.
Albion Corrections Employee Charged with Sexual Contact with Inmate Buffalo News
March 13, 2009 A civilian employee at the Albion Correctional Facility is accused of having had inappropriate sexual contact with a female inmate whom he supervised. Samuel E. Williams was charged with criminal sexual act and official misconduct. For more information on this article click here.
Corrections Officer Charged with Assaults Chicago Tribune The Associated Press
March 12, 2009
An officer at the Milwaukee County House of Corrections has been charged with sexually assaulting two female prisoners in their cells. The complaint charges James Howard with two counts of second-degree sexual assault of an inmate by a correctional officer and two counts of third-degree sexual assault. The women told authorities that the assaults happened last Saturday. For more information on this article click here.
Barren County Jailer Enters Alford Plea in Sex Abuse Case WBKO- KY March 11, 2009
Barren County Jailer Leland Cox entered an "alford plea" to four counts of third degree sexual abuse. Five women had accused Cox of 40 counts of sexual abuse. He must pay a fine of 250-dollars for each of the four counts against him, and if he stays out of trouble for two years, his 30-day jail sentence will be suspended. For more information on this article click here.
Corrections officer charged with sneaking dope into prison The Western Star
Kyle Nagel
March 05, 2009 A Warren Correctional Institution corrections officer has been charged with attempting to sneak 200 grams of marijuana into the prison. Stephen L. Howard appeared in court to face charges of attempting to convey drugs onto the grounds of a detention facility, a third-degree felony, and possession of criminal tools, a fifth-degree felony. Howard used hollowed-out markers and a Subway sandwich in an attempt to transport the marijuana from an outside dealer to an inmate. For more information on this article click here.
Sexual Assault Alleged at Wyatt Jail The Providence Journal W. Zachary Malinowski
March 5, 2009
Federal investigators are looking into allegations that a former medical technician at the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility, in Central Falls, sexually assaulted two prisoners in the jail’s infirmary last year. For more information on this article click here.
Former Prison Guard Pleads Guilty The Houston Chronicle
The Associated Press
March 2, 2009 A former McLennan County Detention Center guard received five years of deferred probation after pleading guilty to a charge of giving contraband to inmates for allowing two inmates to use his cell phone in October. For more information on this article click here.
Officers Arrested after Alleged Inmate Beating NBC2 News
March 2, 2009 Three corrections officers are out of a job and two just got out of jail because of an alleged beating of inmate Jerome Williams at the Charlotte County Correctional Institution in December of 2008. For more information on this article click here.
Morris County corrections officer is accused of sex assault on inmate The Star-Ledger Continuous News Desk
March 01, 2009 A Morris County corrections officer has been charged with sexual assault and official misconduct after allegedly performing a sex act on an inmate doing community service under his supervision. For more information on this article click here.
February 2009
Ex jail deputy gets prison for smuggling in drugs The Associated Press
February 28, 2009
A former jail guard in Arkansas has been sentenced to 28 years in prison for sneaking syringes, marijuana and cell phones to inmates by hiding the items in food. The long-troubled jail had 13 escapes last year. A number of guards were fired, and some faced criminal charges for improper conduct with inmates. For more information on this article click here.
Stiles Unit correctional Officer Arrested on drug, Contraband Charges KFDM 6 News
Scott Lawrence
February 24, 2009
A correctional officer at the Mark Stiles Unit in Jefferson County is charged with bringing marijuana into the state prison. The officer was taken to the Jefferson County Correctional Center on charges of possession of marijuana and bringing a prohibited substance into a correctional facility. Bond on the prohibited substance charge is $10,000 and bond on the marijuana possession charge is $7,500. For more information on this article click here.
Gay California Lawmaker Seeks GLBT Prisoner Protections and Marijuana Legalization EDGE Wire- Boston
KilianMelloy
Tuesday Feb 24, 2009 A California Assemblyman has introduced two controversial pieces of legislation, one of which is designed to protect GLBT prisoners from sexual violence. Democratic Assemblymember Tom Ammiano is sponsoring an Equality California-written measure that would require prison officials to factor sexuality and gender identity into their decisions on where to house GLBT inmates. A new report from the state’s Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation indicated that over two thirds of GLBT inmates had reported being sexually assaulted at the hands of fellow prisoners--a staggering 15-fold greater incidence than straight prisoners reported suffering. For more information on this article click here.
Most Prison Inmates with HIV Do Not Receive Appropriate Treatment Immediately Following Release NewsWise- American Medical Association
February 24, 2009
Approximately 80 percent of HIV-infected Texas prison inmates did not fill an initial prescription for antiretroviral therapy within 30 days of their release from prison, potentially increasing their risk for harmful health consequences because of an interruption of treatment, according to a study in the February issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. Because the majority of former inmates are without private or public health insurance for the first several months after release, accessing antiretroviral therapy (ART) in a timely manner represents a challenge. For more information on this article click here.
POLICE: Prison Guard Having Inmate’s Baby WITN News 4
February 24, 2009 A former correctional officer has been arrested for having sex with an inmate and police say she's pregnant with the inmate's baby. Tameka Mebane was charged last Wednesday with sexual offense in an institution. Mebane is accused of having sex with the inmate in several different places in the prison, including a closet and break room. Mebane worked nights, when there were less restrictions and supervision of employees. For more information on this article click here.
Senator Pushes Co-pay for Inmates, Sexual Assault Bills Register-Herald reporter Mannix Porterfield
February 20, 2009
Inmates might be required to pay a $5 co-pay every time they go on a non-emergency sick call at West Virginia’s regional jails. A second key proposal would enhance the penalty for sexual assaults by or against inmates in prisons, and make it a felony for one of them or a correctional officer to engage in sex with a prisoner. The bill would make it a felony with a prison term of one to five years if an inmate or staff employee takes part in sexual intercourse with an inmate. For more information on this article click here.
Social Worker Accused of Raping Louisiana Inmate Fox News
The Associated Press February 20, 2009 West Feliciana Parish sheriff's deputies have arrested a Louisiana State Penitentiary social worker on one count of aggravated rape involving an inmate. Gary Dewayne Midkiff is accused of using threats of violence to force the inmate to allow him to perform oral sex on the inmate. The inmate accused Midkiff of threatening to make false accusations against him in order to have correctional officers beat him. The inmate said he submitted to Midkiff's demands in the belief the threats were real. Detectives said Midkiff denied the allegations, but prison investigators and sheriff's detectives found four other complaints from different inmates accusing Midkiff of inappropriate sexual conduct. For more information on this article click here.
Fired Juvenile Officer Found Not Guilty of Sexual Abuse Northwest Arkansas Times
Scott Davis February 19, 2009
A jury found Robert Santos, a Washington County juvenile court officer, not guilty of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl he was assigned to help. Santos testified that he befriended the girl and that their relationship was not sexual, even though he admitted to talking to her about sexual topics and telling her about a dream in which he kissed her. The accuser claims he touched her breast on purpose, while Santos said that if he touched her it was done accidentally while tickling her after she teased him. Santos also admitted in his interview with police that they flirted over text messages. For more information on this article click here.
Guard Faces Assault Trial; Four Females Remain Mum The Daily Item
Marcia Moore
February 19, 2009
Two former correctional officers are charged with four counts of third-degree felony institutional sexual assault after being accused of sexually assaulting female inmates housed in the trustees' quarters in exchange for money and cigarettes. The Lewisburg Prison Project is trying to address issues at the prison in a pending federal class-action lawsuit filed last year alleging the 135-year-old jail is unsafe and inmates are denied civil rights, including proper medical care and equal treatment. So far, none of the women have filed a grievance or lawsuit as a result of the alleged abuse inside the jail. For more information on this article click here.
Former corrections officer two others indicted Moberly Monitor-Index
February 16, 2009
Brian Saunders, a former corrections officer and maintenance supervisor with the Missouri Department of Corrections, Sandra White and Rebecca Best were indicted on federal drug conspiracy charges. The indictment alleges that in March and April 2008, Saunders, White and Best were involved in a conspiracy to deliver marijuana and crack cocaine to inmates at the Moberly Missouri Correctional Center. If convicted, each count carries a penalty range of five years to life in prison and/or fines up to $4 million. For more information on this article click here.
Cook County Juvenile Detention Center to Rehire 5 Counselors Dismissed Over Abuse Allegations: They will not have any contact with youths in their new jobs The Chicago Tribune
Ofelia Casillas and Hal Dardick
February 16, 2009 Cook County's juvenile detention center has agreed to rehire five counselors who were fired for allegedly physically abusing residents. In three cases, the detention center's previous leadership bungled the firings by failing to present proper evidence, an arbitrator ruled. A fourth employee, fired two months before Dunlap was brought in, allegedly punched a resident. DCFS again found credible evidence that abuse had occurred, but an administrative law judge overturned that finding on appeal. The fifth employee, a recreational staffer Dunlap dismissed under his "zero tolerance" policy, allegedly admitted yanking a youth to the floor by his legs to defuse a disruptive situation instead of using a restraining technique as policy required. A hearing officer determined the employee should have been suspended but not fired. Earl Dunlap, appointed by a federal judge as transitional administrator to improve conditions at the center, said provisions in a union contract and the dismissal of the cases on appeal leave him no course but to rehire the workers for administrative jobs. Dunlap initially refused to rehire any of the employees, but the Teamsters took the case to federal court. For more information on this article click here.
Former Missouri Corrections Officer Faces Drug-Smuggling Charges The Associated Press
February 13, 2009
A former Missouri corrections officer and two others face federal charges for allegedly trying to smuggle marijuana and crack cocaine inside the state prison in Moberly. A spokeswoman for the Missouri Department of Corrections declined to comment. For more information on this article click here.
Bristol County Correctional Officer Arrested on Drug Charges South Coast Today
February 12, 2009 Marco Moniz was arrested and charged with conspiracy to violate drug laws and delivering contraband to a penal institution. For more information on this article click here.
Federal Judge Rules Jail Strip Searches Unconstitutional WPIX News
Mary Schultz
February 11, 2009 A federal judge has ruled thousands of strip searches carried out at jails in Burlington and Essex counties in New Jersey were illegal. U.S. District Court Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez says the searches violate the Fourth Amendment and are unconstitutional. Approximately 10,000 people were strip searched. At least eight similar suits are pending against jails in Union, Middlesex and Bergen counties. For more information on this article click here.
Judges Order California to Free Thousands of Inmates to Ease Overcrowding USA Today
February 9, 2009
California must release tens of thousands of inmates because the state's prisons are overcrowded, a federal panel of judges has tentatively ruled. The three judges said it's the only solution for improving conditions in the 33 adult prisons. They stated that changes in parole and other policies can relieve overcrowding without jeopardizing public safety. For more information on this article click here.
Officer Accused of Selling Drugs in Prison KCRA
February 5, 2009
A correctional officer was arrested Monday on charges of selling drugs to inmates at the Sierra Conservation Center. The officer was arrested on suspicion of possessing drugs in prison, bringing drugs into the prison, selling drugs to inmates and criminal conspiracy and faces three felony counts and one misdemeanor. For more information on this article click here.
Lawsuit on Behalf of Juveniles Detained at Youth Study Center Given Class Action Status The Times-Picayune
Katy Reckdahl,
February 5, 2009
A federal judge ruled that a lawsuit brought on behalf of juveniles detained in the city of New Orleans' Youth Study Center should be certified as a class action. In December 2007, the Juvenile Justice Project of Louisiana sued the city over the center, which has been plagued with escapes and reports of poor conditions, including 21-hour daily lockdowns, inadequate education and shoddy medical and mental health care. The class could potentially include about 400 young people who have rotated through the facility since the suit was filed, along with anyone held there in the future. The plaintiffs are not seeking damages but are asking for correction of the facility's problems. For more information on this article click here.
Maryland Prison Guard Charged with Tobacco Smuggling The Associated Press
February 4, 2009
A correctional officer has been charged with smuggling tobacco and rolling papers to inmates at the medium-security Maryland Correctional Training Center near Hagerstown. Timothy Parks faces trial March 26 on one count of contraband possession with intent to deliver. The offense carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a $1,000 fine. The agency says a second officer, who was not identified, resigned during the investigation. For more information on this article click here.
Corrections Officer Charged with Coercing Sexual Act The Journal Star
Erin Wood
February 3, 2009
A Peoria County correctional officer was arrested on felony charges for allegedly coercing an inmate to perform a sex act on him. The officer was charged with official misconduct and custodial sexual misconduct. The female prisoner was being held at OSF St. Francis Medical Center after being taken there for a suicide attempt. The officer transported her and guarded her room while she was a. The officer allegedly told the woman he would arrange for her to be bailed out of jail in exchange for oral sex. For more information on this article click here.
2 Former Okla. County Guards Indicted In Inmate's Death KOKO 5 News
February 3, 2009
Two former guards at the Oklahoma County Jail have been indicted in an inmate's death, charged with federal civil rights violations. The Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office initially said Christopher Beckman died from a seizure in May 2007. However, federal prosecutors said Monday that two deputies beat Beckman before he died. In 2008, the U.S. Justice Department criticized the Oklahoma County Jail, saying there was too much inmate violence and excessive force by guards. The maximum possible penalties for civil rights violations are life in prison without the possibility of parole or death. For more information on this article click here.
January 2009
Former Prison Worker Looses Privacy Suit The Salt Lake Tribune
Steve Gehrke
January 31, 2009 A former prison employee says her coworker would have never known about the $1,500 worth of calls she made from her personal phone to a paroled prisoner in Tonga if his wife hadn't worked at the phone company. U.S. District Judge Tena Campbell ruled the information was neither publicly disclosed nor highly offensive -- two standards that must be met under the invasion of privacy standard. Barker was working as a rehab specialist at the Gunnison Prison when she was placed on administrative leave in May 2006. She resigned two weeks later, after the Department of Corrections began investigating her long-distance calls and the nature of her relationship with former prisoners. For more information on this article click here.
Prison Employee Sentenced to Prison for Having Sex with Inmate CNN
January 30, 2009
A former prison secretary has been sentenced to six months in federal prison for having sex with an inmate she was supposed to be supervising. Janine Sligar was sentenced for sexual abuse of a ward. After serving her sentence, she will serve five years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender. For more information on this article click here.
Corrections Officer Charged in Jail Smuggling Newsday
John Valenti
January 30, 3009
A correction officer has been arrested and charged with smuggling drugs and cigarettes to inmates inside the Nassau County jail. The correction officer was one of four people charged in two separate probes into smuggling operations at the facility. Officials said drugs, cigarettes and a cell phone were among the items smuggled into the jail between December 2006 and August 2007. The officer was paid directly, in cash, as well as by the transferring of commissary funds to others who then wired payments to him, for smuggling marijuana, the painkiller OxyContin and cigarettes to inmates. For more information on this article click here.
Correctional Officer Helped Inmate Escape, Officials Say 6 NEWS Indianapolis
January 30, 2009
A correctional officer was arrested Friday after an inmate escaped the New Castle Correctional Facility. Maurice Melton was charged with aiding in the escape of an offender. The Indiana Department of Correction said Melton allowed the inmate to walk away from the facility by silencing an alarmed door. Officials said Melton also picked the inmate up after he got through the door and drove him to Indianapolis. Melton was employed by the Geo Group. For more information on this article click here.
Former Prison Worker Looses Privacy Suit The Salt Lake Tribune
Steve Gehrke
January 31, 2009 A former prison employee says her coworker would have never known about the $1,500 worth of calls she made from her personal phone to a paroled prisoner in Tonga if his wife hadn't worked at the phone company. U.S. District Judge Tena Campbell ruled the information was neither publicly disclosed nor highly offensive -- two standards that must be met under the invasion of privacy standard. Barker was working as a rehab specialist at the Gunnison Prison when she was placed on administrative leave in May 2006. She resigned two weeks later, after the Department of Corrections began investigating her long-distance calls and the nature of her relationship with former prisoners. For more information on this article click here.
Official Inmates Riot again at West Texas Prison The Associated Press
January 31, 2009
Authorities say more than 1,000 inmates are involved in the second prison riot in the past month at the privately run Reeves County Detention Center in West Texas. The GEO Group, based in Boca Raton, Florida runs the prison. For more information on this article click here.
Prison Employee Sentenced to Prison for Having Sex with Inmate CNN
January 30, 2009
A former prison secretary has been sentenced to six months in federal prison for having sex with an inmate she was supposed to be supervising. Janine Sligar was sentenced for sexual abuse of a ward. After serving her sentence, she will serve five years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender. For more information on this article click here.
Corrections Officer Charged in Jail Smuggling Newsday
John Valenti
January 30, 3009
A correction officer has been arrested and charged with smuggling drugs and cigarettes to inmates inside the Nassau County jail. The correction officer was one of four people charged in two separate probes into smuggling operations at the facility. Officials said drugs, cigarettes and a cell phone were among the items smuggled into the jail between December 2006 and August 2007. The officer was paid directly, in cash, as well as by the transferring of commissary funds to others who then wired payments to him, for smuggling marijuana, the painkiller OxyContin and cigarettes to inmates. For more information on this article click here.
Correctional Officer Helped Inmate Escape, Officials Say 6 NEWS Indianapolis
January 30, 2009
A correctional officer was arrested Friday after an inmate escaped the New Castle Correctional Facility. Maurice Melton was charged with aiding in the escape of an offender. The Indiana Department of Correction said Melton allowed the inmate to walk away from the facility by silencing an alarmed door. Officials said Melton also picked the inmate up after he got through the door and drove him to Indianapolis. Melton was employed by the Geo Group. For more information on this article click here.
Officer's Alleged Sexual Misconduct Results in Two More Suits Against WV DOC The West Virginia Record
Lawrence Smith
January 29, 2009 Two more lawsuits have been filed against the state Division of Corrections alleging an officer at a Greenbrier County correctional facility sexually abused female inmates. On Jan. 5, Trisha N. Justice and Sylvia A. Amos filed separate lawsuits against Dave Masters. In their 10-count lawsuits, Justice and Amos make claims for, among other things, emotional distress, negligent supervision and constitutional violations. Specifically, they allege their 4th, 8th and 9th Amendment rights were violated by Masters' actions. Both are seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages plus costs and fees. Last year, half a dozen lawsuits were filed against WVDOC alleging sexual misconduct on Masters' behalf. For more information on this article click here.
Appeals court backs female prisoners in abuse case Detroit Free Press Jeff Seidel January 28, 2009
The Michigan Court of Appeals has ruled in favor of 10 female prisoners who were awarded $15.5 million in damages for sexual abuse by guards in the 1990s at Scott Correctional Facility. The Michigan Department of Corrections had appealed the 2008 verdict but the three-member appeals court said that various issues and arguments raised on appeal were “disingenuous," "fundamentally flawed" and "muddled.” For more information on this article click here.
Prison Guard Accused of Sexually Assaulting Inmates WTMJ-TV/ MSNBC
Jan. 28, 2009
Paul Vick is expected to be charged with misconduct in office and sexual assault of multiple inmates. Vick was arrested Monday after a five month long investigation by the Prison Warden. State prison officials would not talk about the case except to say Vick has been suspended without pay. The female inmates involved in the allegations have been moved to other prisons. For more information on this article click here.
Court Upholds Firing of Two Prison Guards The Monterey Herald
Larry Parsons
January 27, 2009
A state appeals court has upheld the firing of two correctional officers at Salinas Valley State Prison in the wake of a scandal over rogue guards, overturning a 2007 ruling by a Monterey County Superior Court judge. Martin and Sphar were among eight correctional officers who were fired in November 2003 in connection with the alleged beating of a restrained prisoner in an exercise yard at the Soledad prison. Corrections officials contend Martin and Sphar turned off a guard tower video camera used to record activity in the yard while other officers roughed up the prisoner. The case came on the heels of revelations about the "Green Wall," a group of rogue correctional officers who enforced a code of silence to cover up violence and other misconduct toward inmates. For more information on this article click here.
FBI Joins Investigation after Prison Brawl Daily Commercial
Benjamin Roode and Taylor Vernarsky
January 27, 2009 UPDATE: Federal Bureau of Investigation agents are looking into the disturbance, which saw prison guards shoot one of the inmates involved "to prevent possible loss of life," said Rita Teel, spokeswoman for the Federal Bureau of Prison's Southeast Region. For more information on this article click here.
Former prison guard gets 4 months in sex case Portland Press Herald
Trevor Maxwell
January 26, 2009
A former state prison guard will serve four months in jail for having sex with inmates. Bradford Howard plead guilty to four counts of gross sexual assault. Prosecutors said he had sex with two female inmates last year while working as a guard at the Maine Correctional Center in Windham. Superior Court Justice Roland Cole sentenced Howard to three years in prison, with all but four months suspended. For more information on this article click here.
Staffers Fired Shots to Break up Florida Prison Brawl CNN Nick Valencia, Susan Candiotti and Terry Frieden
January 26, 2009
Staffers at the Coleman FCC fired shots to break up a large-scale fight that sent eight inmates to hospital emergency rooms Sunday afternoon. The fight broke out in the recreation yard of the high-security facility. One inmate suffered a gunshot wound and the other seven were "stabbing/shooting victims." No prison staffers were seriously hurt in the incident, which the FBI is investigating. For more information on this article click here.
Man Accused of Sexual Abuse at Female Prison KPTV Fox-12 Oregon
January 24, 2009 A man has been jailed on sex abuse charges after being accused of having sexual contact with inmates he was supervising. Paul Golden was a landscaper at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility where he supervised female prisoners. He was booked into jail on several charges, including counts of sexual abuse, sexual misconduct and supplying contraband to prisoners. If convicted he could face up to 12 years in prison. For more information on this article click here.
Hennepin County JV Center under Review After Riot KSTP-TV Minneapolis
January 23, 2009 Officials are reviewing security at the Hennepin County Juvenile Detention Center after a juvenile, two teachers, and a staff member were attacked during what police describe as a riot inside the facility. Six teens allegedly rushed their 59-year-old teacher, and struck him on the back of his head before taking his jail keys and emergency phone. The six teens—all between 14 and 17-years-old—headed for a particular classroom in search of a specific 15-year-old boy. For more information on this article click here.
TBI probes sex abuse allegations at Hickman County Jail The Daily Herrald
Staff Reports
January 23, 2009 A Hickman County detective is on administrative leave with pay pending the outcome of an investigation of allegations he had sexual contact with an inmate at the county jail. For more information on this article click here.
Correction Officers to Be Indicted Following Inmate Death NY1 News
January 22, 2009 Three city correction officers are expected to be indicted today on charges in the death of a Rikers Island inmate. The guards are suspected of looking the other way as inmates beat Robinson to death. Several inmates will reportedly be charged with murder. For more information on this article click here.
Former Sheriff Convicted of Sex Abuse United Press International
January 18, 2009
A jury in Oklahoma has found former Custer County Sheriff Mike Burgess guilty of 13 felony sex charges. The jury Saturday recommended a punishment of 94 years and $15,000 in fines. Burgess was convicted of charges ranging from forcible oral sodomy and kidnapping to sexual battery and rape. Burgess will be sentenced on March 24, 2009. For more information on this article click here.
Study: Prison Inmates have Insufficient Access to Healthcare Ozarks First
January 16, 2009
Prison inmates in the U.S. have a higher rate of serious illnesses than that of the general population. They also have poor access to the healthcare they need. The study found that about 20 percent of sick inmates in state prisons and 14 percent in federal prisons have not seen a doctor since they were incarcerated. Access to medical care was the worst in local jails and best in federal prisons. For more information on this article click here.
In mate Attacks Five ACI Prison Officers WPRI
January 16, 2009
An inmate at the ACI in Cranston assaulted a Lieutenant and four more officers Wednesday night. The suspect was transferred from a prison in Oregon and is doing time for several crimes, including a double murder. For more information on this article click here.
Jail Guards were Abusive Inmates Say The Telegraph
Andrew Wolfe
January 16, 2009
Three prison inmates claim they were beaten and two claim they were sexually assaulted by guards while incarcerated at the Hillsborough County Jail. For more information on this article click here.
Women allege sexual harassment in Fulton Sheriff’s Office The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Steve Visser
January 14, 2009
Four women have sued the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office for a total of $8 million, saying the office has a culture of sexual harassment in which even ranking officers engage in verbal and physical harassment. For more information on this article click here.
Ex-correctional officer pleads guilty The Herald Mail
Erin Julius
January 15, 2009 A former Roxbury Correctional Institution officer plead guilty to possession of contraband with the intent to distribute it inside a place of confinement. The judge in the case sentenced the officer to 18 months in prison, then suspended the sentence and placed her on three years of unsupervised probation. For more information on this article click here.
Former Guard Sentenced for Sex with Inmate News Day
January 15, 2009
A former guard at the federal prison in Danbury was sentenced to 15 years in prison for having sex with a female inmate and plotting with her to kill his wife. Michael Rudkin was sentenced after having pleaded guilty last August to sexual abuse of a ward and attempted murder for hire.
Rudkin and the inmate had a sexual relationship from October 2007 to January 2008. He promised to pay her $5,000 to arrange for his wife's murder. For more information on this article click here.
Two Boys Accuse Dallas ISD Instructor of Molesting Them at County Jail The Dallas Morning News
Jennifer Emily
January 14, 2009 At least two boys awaiting trial as adults say a Dallas Independent School District instructor repeatedly molested them at the Dallas County Jail while he was supposed to be teaching them. Luis Enrique de los Santos is charged with one count of sexual assault of a child, and authorities said additional charges will probably follow. The Dallas County Sheriff's Department contracted with DISD to provide instruction at the jail. The Sheriff's Department and the school district are investigating whether other children taught by de los Santos may have been molested. For more information on this article click here.
Four in Richmond County Jails Found with Phones Augusta Chronicle Preston Sparks January 9, 2009 Four more inmates have been found with cell phones while incarcerated in Richmond County, according to authorities. In all 16 inmates have been found with cell phones. Investigations are ongoing. For more information on this article click here.
Assaulted Inmates Settle Suit with State Anchorage Daily News
Lisa Demer
January 14, 2009
Two Alaska inmates sexually assaulted by other prisoners while in state custody have reached a $1.4 million settlement with the state Department of Corrections, according to their attorneys. The civil lawsuit, which is under seal, concerns assaults that took place in a prison dorm over three days in September 2006. Two men have been convicted of first-degree assault in the matter. There are also other cases pending in Alaska-- two other suits involving physical abuse of inmates have been settled and that a third suit, alleging that a correctional officer sexually assaulted a female inmate, is pending. Additionally, in February 2008, an inmate at the Anchorage jail was charged with two dozen counts of sexual assault against a fellow prisoner. For more information on this article click here.
Marion County Juvenile Center Worker Accused of Forcing Teen into Sex Indianapolis Star Vic Ryckaert
January 10, 2009 A youth manager at the Marion County Juvenile Detention Center is accused of forcing a 16-year-old inmate to perform a sex act on him on Christmas Eve. Michael A. Jackson was charged with felony counts of sexual misconduct and child seduction. Jackson is the first juvenile center employee to be arrested on sexual abuse allegations since a 2006 scandal. According to court records, Jackson demanded the boy perform oral sex in his office inside the center. The boy told investigators he tried to ignore Jackson but was afraid of him and agreed. Jackson told the boy not to tell anyone, but he approached him two days later to ask for sex again. On Dec. 25, the boy reported the incident to another staff member who relayed the allegations to her superiors Dec. 29. For more information on this article click here.
Lawmakers Say TYC Contributed to Sexual Abuse Houston Chronicle
Lisa Sandberg
January 9, 2009 Two lawmakers are accusing the Texas Youth Commission of contributing to the alleged sexual abuse last year of young inmates who were housed with peers known to be sex offenders. The agency is currently investigating the alleged sexual abuse of four youths by their peers in November and December at the Mart I Orientation and Assessment Unit, an intake facility outside Waco. The agency began drafting a "Safe Housing" policy last June, he said, but was not finished when the first sex abuse case was filed at Mart in November. For more information on this article click here.
Jail Guard Accused of Sexually Assaulting Inmate Omaha World Herald
January 9, 2009 A Gage County jail guard has been accused of sexually assaulting an inmate. Eugene Fiester was booked on suspicion of sexual assault and sexual abuse. Court records say a woman told her mother that she was sleeping in her cell Wednesday night when Fiester entered it and assaulted her. The guard previously worked for the Nebraska Department of Corrections. For more information on this article click here.
TYC Investigators Looking into Sex Assaults at Waco Area Facility Austin American Statesman
Mike Ward
January 9, 2009
Texas Youth Commission investigators are trying to determine why several incarcerated teenage boys who say they were sexually assaulted at a Waco-area lockup had been put in cells with other youths accused of sex crimes, officials confirmed Friday. Legislative leaders were told this week that five youth-on-youth sexual assaults had been reported at the McLennan County State Juvenile Correctional Facility in Mart, east of Waco. The agency's Safe Housing Policy is still awaiting approval despite earlier public assurances by Youth Commission officials that it was in place. For more information on this article click here.
Former youth worker charged with sex abuse WZTV Fox Nashville
Associated Press
January 8, 2009
A former employee at a Louisville home for abused youths has been charged with sexually abusing two boys at the center. For more information on this article click here.
Judge Orders Prison to Negotiate with Female Inmates The Michigan Messenger
Eartha Jane Melzer
January 8, 2009 A circuit court judge in Ann Arbor has ordered the state to enter into settlement negotiations with hundreds of women who claim that they were sexually assaulted while serving time in Michigan prisons. Deborah LaBelle, the attorney who represents the women in the case said that further verdicts against the state are likely if the cases continue to go to trial. She cited two recent cases that the state lost to her clients. In February 2008, an Ann Arbor jury awarded $15.4 million plus attorney’s fees and interest to 10 women who gave accounts of sexual abuse at Scott Correctional facility in Plymouth and in November 2008, another Ann Arbor jury ruled in favor of eight women who were assaulted and raped by guards at Crane Correctional facility in Coldwater. The litigation against the state has resulted in some improvements in prison conditions for women, LaBelle said. Male guards no longer patrol housing units for female prisoners and are no longer permitted to do body searches. But further changes are necessary, she said, because assaults are ongoing in the prison system. LaBelle said that her clients want increased supervision of prison staff and adequate investigation when woman claim harassment or assault. Female inmates also need better access to treatment, she said. For more information on this article click here.
Maryland Shifting Some Inmates and Guards to Cut Costs The Examiner David Dishneau January 7, 2009 The Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services are consolidating some of its prerelease operations in an effort to reduce overtime costs. By concentrating inmates who are nearing release at fewer minimum-security facilities, the Department aims to free up correctional officers for transfer to medium- and maximum-security prisons with high overtime costs. For more information on this article click here.
Former Oklahoma Sherriff on Trial in Jail Sex Case The Associated Press Tim Talley
January 6, 2009
Opening statements began Tuesday for the trial of a former sheriff accused of using his influence over jail inmates and drug court defendants to demand sex from the women. Former Custer County Sheriff Mike Burgess has pleaded not guilty to 36 charges of rape, rape by instrumentation, kidnapping, sexual battery and oral sodomy. The evidence against Burgess surfaced in a federal lawsuit filed on behalf of 12 former jail inmates alleging sheriff's employees had them engage in wet T-shirt contests and offered cigarettes to those who would flash their breasts. For more information on this article click here.
King County Reaches Deal with Feds on Improving Jail The Seattle Times
Keith Irvin
January 6, 2009 The 2007 Justice Department letter concluded that inmates had been physically and sexually abused by guards, and that those instances were often poorly investigated, if at all. The agreement calls for the following changes: (1) corrections officers who conduct internal investigations would receive more training; (2) medical staff and corrections officers have begun sharing information at the end of each shift on the condition of inmates with psychiatric disorders; (3) an electronic medical-records system is being introduced; (4) new cleaning procedures are intended to slow the spread of disease; (5) jail staff will get more training in recognizing suicide risks, and daily assessments will be made of inmates on suicide watches. Three monitors, appointed by both parties, will follow the county's progress. For more information on this article click here.
Two Jailers Arrested in Twiggs County Sex Scandal Courier Herald
Jason Hobbs
January 5, 2009
Two jailers were arrested on New Year’s Eve in connection with a jail sex case at the Twiggs County Law Enforcement Center. The sheriff fired two of his jailers who confessed they had been sexually involved with a female inmate on at least two occasions between November 15, 2008 and December 24, 2008. The inmate reported that she had consensual sex with both officers while they were working shifts in the jail in exchange for cigarettes. Both officers had been with the jail for less than six months and completed the required CO training. They have both been charged with Violation of Oath of Office, which could carry a 1-5 year sentence if convicted, along with sexual assault against a person in custody, which could carry a 30 year sentence if convicted. For more information on this article click here.
Stakes were high as prisoners' rape trial finally began Detroit Free Press
Jeff Seidel
J
anuary 5, 2009 The Department of Corrections had fought this case arguing variously that the statute of limitations had expired on the women's claims; that it should not be considered a class-action; that the hundreds of women in the suit should have their trials held separately; that prisoners don't have the same rights as normal citizens. The appeals went all the way to the Michigan Supreme Court. For more information on this article click here.
Women’s’ Jailers Accused of Sexual Misconduct NBC San Diego January 5, 2009
A pair of lawsuits that will be heard in federal court in San Diego allege that guards in Imperial County abused their positions of power to garner sexual favors. A hearing on the case is set of Jan. 20. Former guard James Ray Morris pleaded guilty last year to having sex with inmates.For more information on this article click here.
