Federal prison worker in California pleads guilty to sexually abusing inmate

A former officer at a federal prison for women in California pleaded guilty Thursday to abusive sexual contact with an inmate.

Enrique Chavez, who as part of a plea deal admitted to groping and fondling the woman in the prison kitchen, now faces up to two years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

“Employees of federal prisons who abuse their authority are not above the law. The FBI and our partners will continue to identify correctional officers like Chavez who violated federal law and hold them accountable,” said Robert K. Tripp, FBI special agent in charge.

Chavez was employed as a supervisor in the kitchen at the Federal Correctional Institute Dublin in Alameda County, about 40 miles east of San Francisco.

The woman named only as Victim 1 in Chavez’s plea agreement was under his direct authority when the abuse occurred in October 2020. Chavez met the woman in the prison’s pantry and locked the door. The lights were not on at the time, according to court records.

Chavez admitted to “putting his hand inside Victim 1’s underwear and touching her genitals” and “touching the victim’s breasts,” according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California.

Chavez is out on bail. He is scheduled to be sentenced in February.

“The public trusts correctional officers to act with integrity, but instead, Chavez used his position of power to sexually abuse an inmate under his supervision,” said Zachary Shroyer, special agent in charge at the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General in Los Angeles.

Chavez is the fifth officer from FCI Dublin to go to trial for sexual abuse against the facility’s imprisoned women and the third officer to plead guilty.

The prison’s former chaplain, James Highhouse, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison after pleading guilty to five felony counts of sexually abusing inmates, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. 

A guard, Ross Klinger, is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to three counts of sexual abuse, according to the Chronicle. Former warden Ray Garcia, now retired, and former guard John Bellhouse await trial in their abuse cases.

Mr. Garcia and Mr. Bellhouse have both pleaded not guilty.