If you've ever experienced sexual assault or abuse and need to talk to someone call the confidential crisis helpline Safe to Talk on: 0800 044 334 or text 4334. The auditor also proposed the prison retain documentation in an investigation or case monitoring file. Lerner-Kinglake noted that an overwhelming number of reports are still unsubstantiated, but that given the risks involved in making such a claim against correctional staff, "it just defies logic that only 5% of reports of staff sexual abuse are valid. Instead, this chaplain abused his authority and betrayed the public trust.. His attorney did not immediately reply to a request for comment. All six officers already had admitted to sexually abusing female prisoners under their supervision, the report said. Chaplain who sexually abused inmates gets 7 years in prison. Enrique Chavez isthe fifth Bureau of Prisons employee at the high-profileNorthern California prison in Dublin to be indicted at the facility since spring 2021. That included Ms. Reynolds, who received a college degree after leaving prison and now works for a construction company. The issue of sexual assault at the 160,000-inmate Bureau of Prisons, an agency hamstrung by labor shortages, budget shortfalls and mismanagement, has become increasingly evident in recent years. And when the practices of staff are inconsistent with procedure and policy, that is indicative of failed leadership within the correctional facility.". Federal prosecutors say he groped at least one of his female wards, asked at least two inmates to strip naked for him and took and stored photographs of a naked inmate in a . 2. failed to recognize female prisoners being sexually assaulted and elderly prisoners being threatened by a once-in-a-lifetime global pandemic as reasons to even consider a sentence reduction, said Kevin Ring, the president of Families Against Mandatory Minimums. OAKLAND, Calif. A former worker at a federal women's prison in California was sentenced Thursday to 20 months in prison for sexually abusing an inmate. The Bureau of Prisons opened 5,415 cases alleging sexual abuse by federal employees from 2012 to 2022. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Departments Criminal Division. Current and former prisoners and staff described the rampant sexual abuse as "an open secret," the report found. The complaint accused Garcia of penetrating a victims vagina with his finger on multiple occasions, asking inmates to strip naked for him when he did his rounds, and taking photos and saving them to his personal laptop. Inmate Abuse in U.S. Prison Facilities | The Legal Examiner And they immediately made it clear what they were after. Staff sexual misconduct was underreported by inmates:Only about a quarter of incidents were reported by the victim and nearly 20% of the substantiated incidentswere uncovered during an investigation or monitoring. July 28, 2022, 8:00 PM UTC. The former warden, Ray J. Garcia, was arraigned Wednesday on a superseding indictment charging him with abusing two additional inmates, for a total of seven counts involving three victims. In the case of the former warden, Garcia,such "dead spots" in video surveillance were crucial aspects of his case. John Russell Bellhouse, a prison safety administrator, is scheduled to stand trial next June. Federal prison worker pleads guilty to inmate sex abuse 1:16-cv-00329-WJM-STV. For breaking news and live news updates, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram. The B.O.P. They believe that Ms. Chavira, who was convicted on a drug charge and is currently being held at a federal prison in Arizona, does not pose a public safety threat if freed. The lawsuit also alleges that the disgraced lieutenant raped another inmate in 1994, 21 years before he attacked Maria. By Aadil Ikram Zaki Iqbal. Cameron Lindsay, a former warden at three federal prisons and correctional consultant, said more needs to be done to review the prison's policies. The other woman who was raped became pregnant and later miscarried, William McCall, one of the two lawyers representing the 20 women who filed the first federal lawsuit, told The Washington Post. I havent had p--- in two years!. Eight women have filed legal action after alleging they were sexually . One of the rape victims, identified in the most recent lawsuit as Jane Doe 1, said she contracted genital herpes as a result of the sexual assault. Lindsay, the former warden and correctional expert, said he was in "total shock" by the problems at Dublin. Investigators also found a large volume of sexually graphic photographs of both male and female genitalia and nude photos of Garcia on his work cellphone issued by the Bureau of Prisons. custody and better hold accountable those who abuse positions of trust.. Thus far, only a handful of the women at Dublin have applied for compassionate release, but many others are waiting to see the outcome of the requests from Ms. Chavira and others before taking action. Ms. Monaco has pushed federal prosecutors to crack down on sexual abuse at federal facilities, even though proving such crimes is often time-consuming and difficult. Nor were her attackers held accountable. Approximately 15.7% of inmates are raped in federal prisons. $750,000 Settlement in Suit Over Prisoner Beaten and Raped for Three An elected official serving his second term as sheriff, Noel is also Clark Countys Republican Party chair and a friend of former Vice President Mike Pence, and he supported former President Donald Trump. B.O.P. Rank-and-file prosecutors and prison officials play a vital role their support, or ambivalence, about an application can often be the deciding factor and many have been resistant to free anyone, even an inmate in the final stages of a terminal illness. Ray Garcia, 55, was the warden at the Federal Correctional . Official websites use .gov While Highhouse, 49, was charged only with abusing one inmate and lying to authorities, prosecutors say he engaged in predatory conduct with at least six women from 2014 to 2019 including one he counseled at a veterans hospital where he worked before joining the federal Bureau of Prisons, where allegations were routinely ignored. In recent weeks, the deputy attorney general, Lisa O. Monaco, has pressed top officials at the Bureau of Prisons, a division of the department, to encourage inmates who have been assaulted by prison employees, and might qualify for the departments underused compassionate release program, to apply. "What's historic about this is that in no time since 1930 when the Bureau of Prisons opened, did we ever haveany allegation that a warden, the pillar supposedly of the institution, had any inappropriateness," said Hood. Chaplain who sexually abused inmates gets 7 years in prison The women said two inmates were the ringleaders and they disguised themselves so they could not be identified. Following his confession, Xavier was sent to Taguatinga prison for thirty days to await his trial for the heinous crime. Mississippi inmate raped twice behind bars in less than a year External Reporting of Inmate Sexual Abuse/Sexual Harassment and Retaliation Through the Office of Corrections Ombudsman. An indictment is merely an allegation. Most of these perpetrators were under the age of 40 and white. It has become the most comprehensive and trusted online destination for correctional professionals nationwide. California federal women's prison faces new sexual abuse charges 'Rape Club': Former Inmate Alleges Correctional Officers Sexually A BJS report from 2014 shows that almost half of staff who were found to have committed sexual misconduct faced no legal action. The percentage is raised in juvenile delinquent centers to 20%. A gang of 20 prisoners raped and tortured Xavier brutally sending him to the prison hospital where the doctor gave him multiple stitches on injuries of his whole body including his private parts. He refused to confess to a supposed plot against the prison administration and three men subjected him to continuous violent sexual abuse, he says. . One of five workers accused of sexually abusing inmates at a federal women's prison in California pleaded guilty on Thursday, prosecutors said. The lettersweresent by Rep. Karen Bass, D-Calif., Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., and Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, as well as Democratic Womens Caucus co-chairs Rep. Jackie Speier, Rep. Brenda L. Lawrence, Rep. Lois Frankel, and vice-chairs Reps. Veronica Escobar and Sylvia R. Garcia. Advocates say that repurposing prisons with an emphasis on alternatives to incarceration can help drive reform. "I wish I had a good answer to that question," Peters said. At the time, he said prison staff allowed massive amounts of contraband to flow into the facilities. Do Not Sell My Personal Information. OAKLAND, Calif. -- One of five workers accused of sexually abusing inmates at a federal women's prison in California pleaded guilty on Thursday . In an interview with The Washington Post, Lowe said he made a mistake that enabled the inmates to steal the keys. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Garcia, who headed the Dublin, Calif. all-female prison,was the highest ranking official from the Bureau of Prisons to be convicted of such crimes. Michael R. Sisak These staffers were usually employed full-time as correctional officers or supervising staff for longer than six months. I hope that they will not have to go through what I went through. releases or should release people who have a diagnosis of impending death, and they take an experts word on it, said Kevin Ring, president of Families Against Mandatory Minimums, a prisoners rights group in Washington. John Russell Bellhouse, 39, a prison safety administrator, is scheduled to be arraigned this month on charges he sexually abused an inmate he called his "girlfriend" from February to December 2020. Sexual abuse in prisoni is a global human rights crisis. Army veteran Allison Jaslow also is the first LGBTQ leader of a major veterans service organization. Highhouse, enabled by a toxic culture of abuse and coverups at the prison, warned victims not to report him, telling one of them no one will believe you because youre an inmate, and Im a chaplain," prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ", 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. An attorney for Chavez could not immediately be determined for comment. U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers sentenced Enrique Chavez to four more months than prosecutors recommended. The auditor saidshe found no evidence that the prison did retaliation monitoring on cases where the investigation was pending, even though monitoring should occur for at least 90 days after a report. Send tips via direct message, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. The departments senior leaders fear provoking a backlash that will undermine the policy shift, and have moved slowly to incorporate a departmental system to investigate abuse claims on applications so that judges will not have to conduct unpredictable mini trials to determine the veracity of those accusations, according to people familiar with the situation. In the meantime, the delays are taking their toll. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. FILE - The Federal Correctional Institution is shown in Dublin, Calif., July 20, 2006. INDIADOTCOM DIGITAL PRIVATE LIMITED. PDF State of North Carolina Chapter: F Department of Public Safety - NC 7 Rikers Island Guards Raped, Sexually Abused Inmates: Lawsuit The charges against Chavez were unsealed Wednesday as members of Congress have urged more scrutiny and investigations into allegations of systemic sexual abuse of inmates by those in power at the prison. The high-profile Dublin prison in Northern California, formerly home to well-known actorsand one of the nation's few all-female federal prisons,has come under scrutiny in recent months for alleged systemic abuse. Rivera is charged with six counts of sexual abuse by threats and 11 counts of sexual abuse of a ward. Look for a box or option labeled Home Page (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari) or On Startup (Chrome). "It is taken for granted that rape is inevitable inside prison and that the people who endure this violence somehow deserve their fate," said Jesse Lerner-Kinglake, a spokesman for the Los Angeles-based organizationJust Detention International, whichseeksto end to sexual abuse in all forms of detention. US: Federal Statistics Show Widespread Prison Rape Justice Dept. This means that, even if survivors "muster sort of an unfathomable courage to" report staff abusers, "in the vast majority of cases, the . He was found guilty of all eight charges and faces up to 15 years in prison. Former inmate and survivor Briane Moore testified before the subcommittee on Tuesday, recounting how she was raped by an officer while she was imprisoned at a federal facility in West Virginia. Multiple female inmates sexually assaulted at Indiana jail, lawsuit alleges. The safety manager, John Russell Bellhouse, 39, has pleaded not guilty to engaging in sexual acts during 2000 with an inmate he called his "girlfriend." James B. Wills, the bureaus counsel, acknowledged that Ms. Chaviras assertions of being groped and forced to disrobe by male staff members were extremely concerning, but described her documentation of those claims as insufficient. No Escape: Male Rape in U.S. Prisons - Prisoners' Voices The lawsuits were filed after Lowe was criminally charged in October with three counts escape, official misconduct and trafficking with an inmate, according to online court records. The agency also added: "It should benoted, a vast majority of misconduct cases have been referred by the BOP. "In connection with those investigations, the government plans to execute multiple search warrants.". WASHINGTON The Bureau of Prisons has rejected the early release of a female inmate who said she had been sexually abused by male employees at a notorious California penitentiary, reflecting a broader struggle by the Justice Department to free inmates abused in federal custody, when appropriate. Why a Washington corrections officer got 20 months in prison for Highhouse pleaded guilty on Feb. 23 to two counts of sexual abuse of a ward, two counts of abusive sexual contact and one count of making false statements to federal agents. Survivor Stories - Just Detention International Little has been done by government or prison wards to stop rapists inside of prisons. A man who was raped by inmates during a "scared straight" prison tour four decades ago says not a day goes by that he doesn't relive those terrifying moments. Sexual abuse of inmates at N.J. women's prison is an 'open secret Among the findings made public: Bureau employees abused female prisoners in at least 19 of the 29 federal facilities that have held women over the past decade; in at least four prisons, managers failed to apply the federal law intended to detect and reduce sexual assault; and hundreds of sexual abuse charges are among a backlog of 8,000 internal affairs misconduct cases yet to be investigated. Of those incidents, eight officers were charged and arrested . The Justice has released a report on sexual assault cases by guards against federal prisoners. Sentencing Commission to give inmates the right to directly request a compassionate release ruling from trial judges rather than rely on the bureau. James Theodore Highhouse, 49, a prison chaplain, has already signed a plea agreement . In December, a jury found the former warden Ray J. Garcia guilty of seven counts of sexual abuse of three female inmates and one count of lying to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. An incarcerated individual has the right against being pressured by anyone to engage in . Two inmates said Highhouse claimed to them that he was a sex therapist, asked graphic questions about their sex lives and offered to let them have sex in his office, prosecutors said. This may be called Tools or use an icon like the cog. The Clark County Sheriff's Office in Indiana. The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), the government agency responsible for more than 150,000 inmates inside 122 facilities across the country, has been operating in crisis mode for months. The high-profile Dublin prison in Northern California, formerly . Six of the accused officers . If B.O.P. The women, who range in age from 26 to 59, were threatened if they didn't comply, the suit maintains. At least two women were raped. Under current rules, the Bureau of Prisons initiates the process of requesting a compassionate release, filing a formal motion with the judge who presided over the original trial. A lock (LockA locked padlock) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. WASHINGTON The Bureau of Prisons has rejected the early release of a female inmate who said she had been sexually abused by male employees at a notorious California penitentiary . As alleged, the defendant abused his position of power as a correctional officer and sexually abused multiple inmates under his supervision, said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. The path to early release is a complex tangle of laws and regulations intended to prevent violent criminals and repeat offenders from taking advantage of the system by falsely claiming maladies or hardships. According to . Bob Hood, the former chief of internal affairs for the Bureau of Prisons, said he wasn't surprised that the prison got a "stellar audit" even if staff and inmates are interviewed, especially because one of the alleged perpetrators was the warden who has all the power in a prison. In May, an inmate now incarcerated at another federal prison facility reported that Highhouse raped her multiple times in his chapel office after she sought him out for counseling, prosecutors said. But most reports show that between 5 and 20% of inmates have been sexually assaulted. Highhouse is among five workers charged in the last 14 months with sexually abusing inmates at the Federal Correctional Institution in Dublin, California, and the first to reach the sentencing phase of his case. Colette S. Peters, a former Oregon state prison official tapped to lead the bureau in July, has backed the initiative. "What I can tell you is that when you look at the institutions that you're highlighting -- and you see an institution that has been riveted with cases it's it's hard to explain -- it's hard to understand how systemic changes were not implemented.". SAN FRANCISCO (AP) A state prison inmate incarcerated at the Central California Women's Facility was awaiting her group therapy session on Aug. 23 . Report: Female prison guards sexually exploiting male teens Further, the investigation seems to indicate that there was a systematic plan by individuals who were incarcerated that evening to develop the narrative that makes up the crux of the claims in the civil case, Wilder said. All of the charges stem from allegations Highhouse repeatedly abused a female prisoner over a nine-month span in 2018 and 2019. This case demonstrates that the Criminal Division will not hesitate to hold accountable any officer who preys upon vulnerable victims and violates the publics trust., Government employees entrusted with the custody of inmates are responsible for the safety of both the community as well as those inmates, said U.S. Attorney Clare E. Connors for the District of Hawaii. In 2019, Ms. Reynolds took the lonely, terrifying risk of identifying the officer who pressured her for sex and quickly discovered she was one of at least 10 women who had been abused by officers and workers at the facility. Copyright 2023 For the past year, several working groups in the Justice Department have sought to determine how to fix a system long plagued by health and safety problems, corruption, staff turnover and physical and sexual abuse that has disproportionately targeted female inmates and prison workers. This prosecution holds a prison guard accountable for flagrantly and repeatedly violating the law, and thereby failing to meet this responsibility.. Highhouse must register as a sex offender once he's released from prison, Gilliam said. California prison guard accused of assaulting female inmates | The That woman said in a victim impact statement that she cried herself to sleep after testifying before a grand jury about Highhouses abuse. His term will be followed by 10 years of supervised release. Behind a closed chapel office door inside a federal womens prison in California, a chaplain forced inmates seeking his spiritual guidance to have sex with him, exploiting their faith and their powerlessness behind bars for his own gratification, prosecutors said. "The government is currently investigating additional suspects for related crimes," prosecutors wrote in its motion to unseal the indictment. On Wednesday, Bureau of Prisons Director Colette Peters visited Dublin for an update. "For 10 minutes they beat me, ripped my clothes. A transgender female prisoner says she repeatedly begged not to be housed with a convicted rapist, but was forced to share a bunk with him anyway and then allegedly got raped within 24 hours . I was sentenced and put in prison for choices I made I was not sent to prison to be raped and abused, said Briane Moore, who was repeatedly assaulted by an official at a womens prison in West Virginia who threatened to block a transfer to a facility closer to her family if she resisted. He has no prior criminal history, they wrote. He faces up to 39 years in prison. The committees report sharply criticized the Justice Departments leaders for failing to bring charges against many of those accused of abusing inmates at the now-shuttered womens unit at Coleman. An Army veteran, he pressured one inmate into intercourse on Veterans Day by telling her she needed to serve her country and on Thanksgiving by telling her she needed to show her gratitude for him, prosecutors said. An attorney for Garcia declined to comment. Prison and jail staff who sexually abuse inmates rarely face consequences. Others included the prisons former warden and a chaplain. Inmates have the right to be safe from sexually abusive behavior.