Former FCI Dublin Warden Convicted of Sexually Abusive Contact

On December 8, 2022, former Federal Correctional Institute, Dublin (FCI Dublin) Warden Ray J. Garcia was convicted of seven counts of sexually abusive contact against three female victims and one count of making false statements to government agents. Garcia is one of five correctional officers at FCI Dublin to be charged with sexual abuse of an inmate, however, there are at least 25 additional employees under investigation for inappropriate relationships, abusive sexual contact, PREA violations, and more.

The low-security all-women’s prison is currently being investigated for one of the worst documented cases of widespread sexual abuse by staff in a federal prison. Despite the fact that any form of sexual contact between a correctional officer and a prison inmate is prohibited by law, sexual abuse in prisons remains rampant across the United States. Prison staff maintains substantial control over inmates’ daily lives, so it is impossible to create an environment where an inmate has the autonomy to give or revoke their consent in a meaningful way.

Reports of sexual abuse against inmates at FCI Dublinescalated from late 2019 through 2020 when COVID-19 caused the prison to go onlockdown. Amid the increasing abuse, Garcia was promoted from associate wardento warden in 2020 and was in charge of overseeing the Prison Rape EliminationAct (PREA) as well as training new supervisors regarding the prison’s sexualassault policies. Under his supervision as warden, at least three othercorrectional officers were engaging in inappropriate sexual relationships withinmates. Garcia exploited his position of power, and by failing to enforce PREAstandards, he created a culture of abuse in the prison putting numerous inmatesin danger.

Garcia’s abusive relationships began by engaging ininappropriate behavior with inmates inDecember 2019, including flirtatious behavior and flattery. Garcia promisedinmates early releases and provided them gifts in exchange for sexual favors.Garcia strategically took inmates to isolated locations such as the prison’selectrical shop, visitation rooms, and changing stalls where he knew he was outof sight from cameras and other correctional officers. Additionally, Garciaused intimidation tactics to prevent women from coming forward such as tellinghis victims that he was “close friends” with the investigator and had theability to sway their decision.

On September 24, 2021, Garcia was charged with sexual abuse by a warden after investigators uncovered illicit chat messages and photos between him and different inmates. Garcia is the highest-ranking federal official arrested in more than 10 years. Since Garcia’s conviction, the Federal Bureau of Prisons has received national attention for its role in allowing a violent culture of sexual abuse throughout prisons across the United States. Following our client Carolyn Richardson’s Congressional testimonial about the sex abuse she suffered in BOP custody, President Biden signed the Prison Camera Reform Act into law, which requires that prisons perform mandatory security updates over the next few years. This, of course, is only a small measure of comfort for past and future victims of prison sex abuse.

Garcia’s sentencing date is scheduled for March 23, 2023, and he is facing a maximum of 15 years for each of the three sexual abuse of a ward, eight years for making false statements to federal officers, and two years for each of the four counts of abusive sexual contact. As Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco stated at Garcia’s Trial, Garcia’s guilty verdict is an important step in addressing sexual misconduct within the Bureau of Prisons.

If you or another inmate are a survivor of sexualabuse from prison staff, our prisoner abuse attorneys can provide a discrete,confidential evaluation of your claim, and will aggressively fight to holdthose accountable for their actions.

It is imperative that prison staff are held accountable for both abuse against inmates as well as fostering a dangerous environment. At the Jacob Fuchsberg Law Firm, our dedicated team of Prison Sexual Assault Attorneys is representing dozens of inmates at FCI Dublin, and we will help you get the best possible outcome for your claim. With a history of client success, including obtaining the largest publicly available settlement against a federal institution, the Jacob Fuchsberg Law Firm will ensure that you get the representation you deserve.

We can help when the unimaginable happens.

Contact us today for a free consultation.