Dublin Prison: Two More COs Accused of Inmate Abuse

OAKLAND – The rot runs deep at the Federal Correctional Institution in Dublin, California. Two more former correctional officers, Jeffrey Wilson, 34, and Lawrence Gacad, 33, have been slapped with charges of sexually abusing female inmates, bringing the total number of accused FCI Dublin staff to ten. The Justice Department is finally peeling back the layers of abuse that plagued this facility, but the question remains: how long did this go on unchecked?

Wilson is facing a staggering five counts of sexual abuse of a ward related to his alleged predation on inmate C.S. The indictment details a pattern of abuse allegedly occurring in a medical room at FCI Dublin between March 14, 2022, and August 16, 2022. He’s also accused of lying to federal agents, claiming he never had sexual contact with C.S. or provided her contraband – a blatant attempt to cover his tracks.

Gacad, meanwhile, is charged with one count of abusive sexual contact with inmate S.L., allegedly occurring between March 1, 2022, and June 14, 2022. While the details are fewer, the charge itself speaks volumes. This isn’t about isolated incidents; it’s a systemic failure of oversight and accountability within the federal prison system.

The announcement, made by U.S. Attorney Craig H. Missakian, Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeremy Hunt of the DOJ Office of the Inspector General, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani, comes amidst a growing list of convictions and guilty pleas. Warden Ray J. Garcia was convicted on all counts by a jury on December 8, 2022, and sentenced to a hefty 70 months. CO John Bellhouse received 63 months after his own jury conviction on June 5, 2023. Other officers, like Chaplain James Highhouse (84 months), CO Enrique Chavez (20 months), and CO Andrew Jones (96 months), have already begun serving time. CO Nakie Nunley received 72 months, and CO Ross Klinger got one year of home confinement.

The investigation isn’t slowing down. CO Darrell Smith, also known as “Dirty Dick Smith,” remains indicted, with a trial scheduled for September 2, 2025. Wilson and Gacad had information filed against them on June 25, 2025. If convicted, Wilson faces up to 15 years per count of sexual abuse and eight years for the false statements charge, along with potential fines of $250,000 per count. Gacad is looking at a maximum of two years and a $250,000 fine. These are merely allegations, and the accused are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Paulson, Alethea Sargent, Sailaja Paidipaty, and Molly Priedeman are leading the prosecution, with support from Veronica Hernandez and Amala James. The DOJ OIG and FBI are handling the investigation. This case serves as a grim reminder that even behind bars, vulnerable individuals are not safe from those entrusted with their care. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this developing story and expose the truth, no matter how ugly.