3 days ago
2 more former guards at FCI Dublin plead guilty in sexual abuse scandal
Two former guards at the Federal Correctional Institution in Dublin pleaded guilty to sexually abusing female inmates, the latest employees to be convicted in a scandal at the now-shuttered prison.
The U.S. Attorney's Office of the Northern District of California announced Thursday that 34-year-old Jeffrey Wilson pleaded guilty to sexual abuse of a ward and for making false statements to government agency. Lawrence Gacad, 33, pleaded guilty to abusive sexual contact.
"There is zero tolerance for federal correctional officers who violate their positions of trust and authority. And that is especially true where they use those positions to sexually abuse individuals in their custody," Northern California United States Attorney Craig Missakian said in a statement.
Wilson was a correctional officer at FCI Dublin from July 2021 to Sep. 2022, serving as a health technician / paramedic. According to his plea agreement, Wilson began to interact with an inmate after she started taking medication for her seizures.
Prosecutors said Wilson encouraged the victim to transfer from the prison to FCI Dublin Camp where fewer people would see their interactions. Wilson admitted to engaging in sexual acts on multiple occasions with the victim and providing her with a prepaid card and cellphone, which she used to send naked pictures of herself to him.
According to prosecutors, Wilson falsely stated that he never had sexual contact with the victim and that he never gave her contraband.
Gacad was employed at the prison between July 2021 and 2022. According to his plea agreement, Gacad admitted to kissing and groping an inmate, along with exchanging notes and emails with the victim, some of which were sexually explicit.
Prosecutors said Gacad resigned after the abuse was discovered. After leaving his job at the prison, Gacad continued to exchange emails with the victim and spoke with her on video chats she had with her parents.
"These guilty pleas mark yet another step toward accountability for a culture of predation that thrived for far too long behind the walls of FCI Dublin. Female inmates were exploited by those with power and access when they were most vulnerable," said FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani.
Prosecutors said Wilson and Gacad were the 8th and 9th employees who were convicted in connection with the scandal at the prison, which was once dubbed "the rape club."
Among those already convicted include former warden Ray Garcia and James Highhouse, the prison's former chaplain. Garcia is currently serving a 70-month prison sentence, while Highhouse is serving an 84-month sentence, according to prosecutors.
A 10th prison employee, Darrell Smith, is scheduled to go to trial in September.
Despite reform attempts, the Federal Bureau of Prisons closed FCI Dublin last year.
Prosecutors said Wilson and Gacad are released on bond. Wilson is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 6, while Gacad is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 18.
