Former Prison Officer Charged With Rape And Sexual Assault Of Inmate

A 2003 federal law known as the End Prison Rape Act established a “zero tolerance” policy for inmate sexual assault.

Sexual Assault ( Photo: Yellowbrick )

Gregory Rodriguez, who worked at the Central California Women’s Facility, faces 96 charges

As of Wednesday, it was unclear whether a lawyer would be available to defend the 54-year-old Rodriguez. He was being held in lieu of $7.8 million bail, prosecutors said. The women’s prison where Rodriguez worked for 12 years is in Chowchilla, a small town about 190 miles southeast of San Francisco.

Engaged in sexual misconduct against at least 22 inmates

These allegations in no way reflect the attitudes of the majority of prison officers who act professionally and do their best to keep inmates safe and serve their sentences, prosecutors said Wednesday. Stated. We hope that the dismissal and arrest of this defendant will encourage them to continue their honorable professions and to obey the law every day. An investigation found that Rodriguez may have committed sexual misconduct against at least 22 inmates and was turned over to prosecutors earlier this year. Two unidentified inmates filed a lawsuit in December alleging Rodriguez was sexually assaulted at the prison, which houses about 2,100 inmates.

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