In 2003 congress passed a bill called the 'Prison Rape Elimination Act.' The intent behind this legislation was to combat the widespread phenomenon of sexual abuse in juvenile halls, jails, penitentiaries, and halfway houses all over the country. Unfortunately, the pattern remained steadfast throughout the following decades. Overall, about 80,000 female/male inmates are raped every year in the United States. Detainees at juvenile halls get the brunt of the abuse, but female prisoners are not too far behind. Ray J. Garica, the former warden at a minimum security female prison in the Bay Area (Northern California) called FCI Dublin, is the very depiction of that notion. The abusive, sexually charged environment he curated at his correctional facility was so infamously topic that it became known by many as the "rape club." Therefore, on Thursday, Garcia was charged with eight counts of abusing women sexually. According to information obtained by the FBI, Garcia forced his female inmates to pose naked (pornographic style) for his camera phone on numerous occasions. He also allegedly fondled and gripped many of them as well. During the trial, Garcia's victims alleged that he promised them early release if they kept his actions from reaching the public. They even accused him of using their mental health files to exploit them. Nonetheless, the case came to a head when investigators found a plethora of naked photos of the women on Garcia's government-issued cell phone.
In addition to partaking in sexual abuse, Garcia allowed numerous members of his staff to engage in unsavory acts with the inmates as well. When rumors of Garcia's lewd behavior surfaced and allegations began to pile, he was promoted from associate Warden to Warden in 2020.
The decision to convict Garcia on four counts of abusive sexual contact, three counts of sex with an incarcerated person, and one count of lying to the FBI was made by a federal jury. Garcia faces up to 15 years in prison.
Source: SFist
