More than 60 sex abuse, retaliation lawsuits filed against officers at FCI Dublin
DUBLIN, Calif. - A dozen more civil lawsuits were filed in U.S. District Court against officers at the Federal Correctional Institute in Dublin, bringing the total to 63.
The suits, filed Thursday on behalf of women incarcerated at FCI Dublin, allege similar themes: Sexual assault and retaliation for speaking up. Four undocumented women also allege officers threatened their deportation if they reported any abuse.
Multiple women details that they were the subject of officer voyeurism, were told they had to masturbate and perform strip shows in front of officers, or commit sex acts on other incarcerated people in front of officers. To force them to comply with these demands, the women alleged that the officers would threaten to write disciplinary reports or refuse to allow them out of their cells.
The suits also make public the names of a few new officers who have not been criminally charged by federal prosecutors. To date, eight officers have been charged and convicted with sex crimes; all but one have been found guilty.
"The experiences of these 12 brave survivors exemplify the culture of sexual abuse and sexual harassment that has deep roots in BOP," Amaris Montes, an attorney with Rights Behind Bars, said. "Officers at every level committed horrific abuse or actively allowed the abuse to continue. These survivors seek accountability for themselves, and for everyone else who remains at risk of abuse at the hands of BOP officials."
Rights Behind Bars, Arnold & Porter, and the California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice filed lawsuits on behalf of 12 survivors of sexual abuse at FCI Dublin. Meanwhile, the California Coalition for Women Prisoners has filed a separate lawsuit representing everyone currently incarcerated at FCI Dublin in a class-action lawsuit seeking systemic change at the facility.
Some of the new allegations include:
F.S., a Native American woman, alleged that she was forcibly raped by Officer Patrick Pool up to three times a week, often while being held down by two other officers, Sergio Saucedo and Nicholas Ramos. These officers made hateful comments, including saying that Native Americans are "worth nothing but drinking alcohol and going to prison."
None of these officers have been charged criminally, but their names have come up in several other lawsuits. Ramos died by suicide in 2022 when he was put on leave during an internal investigation.
In another case, Pool denied any wrongdoing.
E.S. alleged that she was also forcibly raped by Officer Cedric Kinlaw on a number of occasions. She said that he regularly made homophobic remarks to her and threatened to throw her in the Special Housing Unit, or SHU, if she left their shared job. She alleged Officer Ronald St. Clair, a cook foreman, stood as a lookout when Kinlaw sexually abused her and Pool was actively aware of this abuse and did nothing to stop it. (The lawsuit identifies St. Clair as Sinclair."
A woman identified as A.Y. alleged that she awoke on several occasions to Tysheanna Alewine, a drug treatment specialist, on top of her removing her clothes and digitally penetrating her.
Kinlaw, St. Clair and Alewine have not been charged criminally.
Only Kinlaw is no longer an employee of the BOP, a spokesman confirmed.
The others are still employed, although it wasn't clear if they were on leave.
However, attorneys representing FCI Dublin recently told U.S. District Court Judge Yvonne Gonzlez Rogers that in light of all the lawsuits and allegations, any officer accused of misconduct, even if there is no evidence, is put on leave.
In a statement to KTVU, Benjamin O'Cone said that the federal Bureau of Prisons "strongly condemns all forms of sexually abusive behavior and takes seriously our duty to protect the individuals entrusted in our custody."
He said that the BOP is declining all other comment because of the pending litigation.
In December, there were 45 civil lawsuits filed against FCI Dublin and dozens more are expected.
All the cases are being sent to mediation and what can't be settled will go before Gonzalez Rogers, who set a date in July to review them.
Gonzalez Rogers is also considering whether to put a "special master" over the prison, but her order on that has not yet come out.
ZTS v. United States of America, et. al.
RW v. United States of America, et. al.
ML v. United States of America, et. al.
MD v. United States of America, et. al.
KD v. United States of America, et. al.
JH v. United States of America, et. al.
HG v. United States of America, et. al.
FS v. United States of America, et. al.
ES v. United States of America, et. al.
AY v. United States of America, et. al.
ALR v. United States of America, et. al.
AC v. United States of America, et. al.
Lisa Fernandez is a reporter for KTVU. Email Lisa at lisa.fernandez@fox.com or call her at 510-874-0139. Or follow her on Twitter @ljfernandez