Call Now  (713) 227-4444 Email Us Hablamos
Español

Neal Davis Blog

  • About
    • Neal Davis
    • Tyler Brock
    • Andrew Jordan
    • Hiring An Attorney
  • Expertise
    • Criminal Defense
    • Sex Crime Defense
    • Child Pornography
    • Child Solicitation
    • Drug Possession
    • White Collar Crimes
    • Shoplifing/Theft
    • DWI
    • Murder Defense
    • Assault & Family Violence
    • Title IX Defense
  • Results
  • Reviews
  • Press
  • Resources
    • Blog
    • Criminal Defense Guides
    • Scholarships
Home / Federal Crimes / Many Federal Prison Workers Have Been Arrested and Charged

Many Federal Prison Workers Have Been Arrested and Charged

November 18, 2021

federal prison employees

Over 100 federal prison workers have been arrested, charged, convicted or sentenced for various crimes—including sexual abuse and murder—since early 2019, according to an investigative report by the Associated Press.

With a yearly budget of nearly $8 billion, the Federal Bureau of Prisons—which is part of the U.S. Department of Justice—has turned a blind eye to employees accused of such misconduct, the AP says. It reported that some officers who’d been arrested for crimes were not even suspended.

Over a dozen BOP workers interviewed by the AP said disciplinary procedures tend to focus on alleged misconduct by rank-and-file employees, while wardens and senior executives have allegations of misconduct often brushed aside.

The AP says its investigation shows how criminal behavior by employees can fester within a federal prison system that’s intended to punish and rehabilitate persons who have committed crimes.

Texas has many federal prisons

How many federal prisons are there?

Scattered across the nation there are 122 federal prisons.

Of those prisons, 18 are in the state of Texas, or nearly 15 percent of all federal prisons in the United States. Texas also has 9 federal prison camps.

In all, almost 15,000 persons are inmates of federal prisons in Texas.

Nationwide, the federal Bureau of Prisons has about 150,000 inmates and employs about 37,500 people.

Bureau of Prisons employers and contractors arrested

The AP says that Department of Justice prison personnel, who account for less than one-third of the DOJ’s workforce, account for more than two-thirds of the criminal cases against the department’s employees.

According to the AP’s report, of the 41 arrests of DOJ workers so far in 2021, 28 were employees or contractors of the Bureau of Prisons. By contrast, only 5 FBI employees have been arrested in the same period, while the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Agency had 2 arrests each.

Arrests cover a wide range of employees and crimes

Prison workers who have been arrested cover a wide range of duties, responsibilities and job titles. Also, not all of the arrests for various crimes involve misconduct at a prison.

Earlier this year, the associate warden at the Metropolitan Detention Center in New York City was charged with killing her husband, who was also a federal prison worker, at their home in New Jersey.

(That detention center is where Ghislaine Maxwell, an associate of the late Jeffrey Epstein, has been incarcerated for the past 18 months. She is soon to be tried for sex trafficking, a charge Epstein also faced before being found dead in his cell.)

In another recent case, the warden of FCI Dublin, a federal women’s prison in Dublin, CA, was arrested and indicted on charges that he molested an inmate on several occasions, set times when he demanded she undress in front of him and collected nude photos of her on his government-issued phone. The warden, Ray Garcia, was first placed on administrative leave after the FBI raided his office.

At the same prison, a recycling technician was arrested on charges that he coerced 2 inmates into sexual activity. Some other workers at the prison are also being investigated.

(FCI Dublin is the same federal prison where actresses Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin served time for their part in a college admissions bribery scandal.)

Also, a chaplain at another federal prison admitted taking at least $12,000 in bribes to smuggle cell phones, tobacco, marijuana and Suboxone (commonly used for treating opioid addiction) into a prison chapel cabinet, where inmates could receive them.

DOJ says it won’t tolerate such crimes

The Department of Justice said in a statement to the AP that it “will not tolerate staff misconduct, particularly criminal misconduct.”

The DOJ said it is “committed to holding accountable any employee who abuses a position of trust, which we have demonstrated through federal criminal prosecutions and other means.”

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland has also said that his deputy, Lisa Monaco, meets with Bureau of Prisons officials regularly to assess such matters.

The Bureau of Prisons says it requires background checks while evaluating and screening potential employees to make sure they meet its core values. It says it requires employees to “conduct themselves in a manner that fosters respect for the BOP, Department of Justice, and the U.S. Government.”

Related Resources

  • The First Step Act for Federal Prison Reform Belatedly Keeps a Promise
    The First Step Act for Federal Prison Reform Belatedly Keeps…
  • Female Teachers Are Being Charged With Sex Crimes
    Female Teachers Are Being Charged With Sex Crimes
  • Harris County Defense Lawyers Resist In-Person Hearings
    Harris County Defense Lawyers Resist In-Person Hearings
5-star review image
Drug Case Dismissed
Drug Offenses  |  Houston
Clien'ts drug case dismissed
2014-11-08
"My girlfriend and I got into some trouble, and I contacted Mr. Davis. He began to work on ..."
A.R., Verified Customer
5-star review image
He focused on listening and helping, not just explaining his fees
Sex Crimes  |  Houston
Client needed representation for a child sex abuse case that was complex and needed an attorney who understood the full extent of the law.
2015-10-29
"Neal represented our son and the case against him was dismissed, while other attorneys we consulted primarily focused ..."
Father of Juvenile Client I.Z., Verified Customer
5-star review image
He is not one to back down from a fight
Drug Offenses  |  Houston
Client's drug case was dismissed
2016-06-28
"Neal is a great attorney! The man is a class act, a gentleman, and an attorney who truly ..."
T.H., Verified Customer

Categories

  • Child Pornography & Online Solicitation
  • Community
  • Criminal Defense
  • Drug Crimes
  • Federal Crimes
  • Firm News
  • Intoxication Offenses
  • Sex Crimes
  • Violent Crimes
  • White Collar Crime

Search

Criminal Defense Court Process

FREE E-BOOK

Learn all about the legal process and your legal rights.

Get Your Free Copy Now

Board Certified, Criminal Law – Texas Board of Legal Specialization (2009-2021), AV Rated by Martindale Hubbell (2015), and listed as a Best Lawyer in America (2015-2022)

He doesn't give up, no matter what you're up against
M.F.
5-star review image
Got my life back
K.W.
5-star review image
Muy satisfechos con su trabajo
Tia de J.C.
5-star review image

Read All Reviews

    Contact Our Law Firm




    We respect your privacy. The use of this form does not establish an attorney-client relationship.

    Address
    Neal Davis Law Firm
    The Heights Boulevard Law Building
    1545 Heights Blvd., Suite 700
    Houston, TX 77008

    Map

    Call 24/7
    (713) 227-4444

    Office Hours
    Monday - Saturday
    8:00 AM to 6:00 PM

    Sunday: Closed


    Experienced Criminal Defense Law Firm in Texas

    While based in Houston, our law firm provides knowledgeable representation and comprehensive legal services for individuals throughout Texas, including:


    Location

    Harris County:

    Houston, Pasadena, Baytown

    Montgomery County:

    Conroe, The WoodlandsWillis, Pinehurst

    Fort Bend County:

    Sugar Land, Richmond, Needville, Cinco Ranch


    Your Houston Criminal Defense Lawyer: Neal Davis


    A principle of the American criminal justice system is that all defendants are "innocent until proven guilty." Houston criminal defense attorney Neal Davis and his skilled legal team represent individuals accused of committing crimes. For over 20 years, Neal Davis has successfully defended clients in Texas and federal courts in all types of criminal matters at all phases, from state misdemeanors to complex federal matters. Often, he has favorably resolved criminal cases quickly and quietly, without the need for trial.


    The Neal Davis Law Firm defends the rights of individuals charged with all types of state crimes, including drug offenses , child sex crimes, online solicitation of a minor , child pornography, DWI and intoxication manslaughter, fraud and theft, assault and family violence, and murder and homicide, as well as all types of federal crimes.


    Board Certified, Criminal Law – Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Serving all of counties and federal courts across Texas, including Harris County (Houston), Montgomery County (Conroe), Galveston County and Fort Bend County (Richmond). Enjuris Texas personal injury guide

    © 2023 Neal Davis Law Firm, PLLC. All rights reserved. Law Firm Online Marketing by SEO Advantage, Inc.


    Legal Information

    The information and materials on this website are provided for general informational purposes only, and are not intended to be legal advice. We attempt to provide quality information, but the law changes frequently, and varies from place to place. The information and materials provided are general in nature, and may not apply to a specific factual or legal circumstance. An attorney and client relationship should not be implied. Nothing on this website is intended to substitute for the advice of an attorney; therefore, if you require legal advice, please consult with a competent attorney licensed to practice in your jurisdiction. Every case is different and individual results may vary depending on the facts of a case.