Guard Sexually Abused Inmate at MDC: Feds Indict

⏱ 2 min read

RELATED: Albany Firm Pays Up in PPP Scam

SEE ALSO: Ghoul Gloats Over CEO Murder, Texts Threats

Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center is at the center of a grim scandal after federal prosecutors unsealed an indictment against James Johnson, a current Bureau of Prisons (BOP) officer. Johnson is accused of sexually abusing an inmate under his watch. The charges include sexual abuse, abuse of a ward, and lying to federal investigators.

Johnson was arrested today and will face a judge this afternoon. The feds – the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of NY, the FBI, and the DOJ’s Inspector General – all chipped in on the investigation, painting a picture of a guard who used his position to prey on a vulnerable inmate.

“He leveraged his position…to gratify his own sexual desires,” stated US Attorney Joseph Nocella, bluntly. The message from the feds is clear: this kind of abuse won’t be swept under the rug. The FBI’s James Barnacle called it a “grave betrayal of public trust,” emphasizing that correctional officers are meant to protect, not exploit.

The investigation also got a boost from the New York State Police, authorities noted. This case is another stark reminder of the ongoing problems within the federal prison system and the need for robust oversight to prevent predatory behavior by those in power.