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In December of 2024, the United States Federal Government reached a historic settlement of $116 million on behalf of 103 women who were sexually assaulted by correctional officers while incarcerated at the now-closed Federal Correctional Institution in Dublin, CA (FCI Dublin). Partner Jaehyun Oh led the charge as one of four liaison counsel and also represented 30 additional victims who obtained $14 million in pre-suit settlements, bringing the total amount that the government agreed to pay to over $130 million.
FCI Dublin was known as the “rape club” among inmates and staff throughout the country. Due to the lack of administrative oversight, which was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, blind spots within the facility, and abuse of power by correctional officers, the facility fostered a toxic culture of abuse that emboldened correctional officers to sexually abuse inmates.
Currently, eight former FCI Dublin correctional officers have been charged with sexual abuse of a ward, and seven of the eight officers, including the former warden, have subsequently been sentenced for their abuse. Notably, Ms. Oh represented many of the victims whose sexual abuse was cited in an indictment to criminally charge their perpetrators.
Many of our clients shared similar stories of harassment, stalking, and inappropriate behavior that culminated in sexually abusive contact including groping, flashing, digital penetration, forced oral sex, and rape. Due to the toxic culture of abuse at the facility, inmates did not feel comfortable reporting their abuse to prison staff to begin with, and those that did report their abuse were often publicly retaliated against by staff, sent to solitary confinement, and still continued to be abused by their perpetrators.
As a result of the egregious failures by FCI Dublin staff and the Bureau of Prisons, hundreds of women were wrongfully victimized and have had to suffer with the day-to-day consequences of the abuse, including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and anxiety. The money obtained on behalf of all of the victims will enable them to seek the necessary medical care and therapy to properly process and move past their trauma.
Before the $116 million settlement, the largest individual payout from the Federal Government to a prison sexual abuse victim was $1 million per victim, also achieved by Ms. Oh. The Dublin settlements represent a further recognition of the severe trauma that prison sexual assault victims experience. Over the past few years, Jaehyun Oh has played an important role in transforming the legal landscape for victims of prison sexual assault who are seeking compensation for their trauma.
If you or a loved one have been sexually abused while incarcerated in a Federal Bureau of Prison Facility, contact the Jacob Fuchsberg Law Firm today to discuss your rights.
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