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Bureau of Prisons Guard Sentenced for Abusive Sexual Contact
PHOENIX – Darrell E. McCoy, 51, formerly of Scottsdale, Ariz., has been sentenced to 6 months’ home confinement and 5 years’ probation after being convicted of two counts of abusive sexual contact with a ward.
A jury trial in November 2018 found McCoy guilty of the charges. McCoy, a 17-year employee at the federal Bureau of Prisons Federal Correctional Institution, Phoenix, had developed a romantic relationship with an inmate he supervised on a work crew.
Between Sept. 29 and Dec. 15, 2016, McCoy had sexual contact with the inmate in different locations on the prison grounds. After the inmate was released to a halfway house, McCoy continued to communicate with the inmate via text messages and gave the inmate love notes.
At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Douglas L. Rayes noted the great power disparity between inmates and their guards, stating that there was no way to characterize a romantic relationship in those circumstances as free choice.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the U.S. Office of the Inspector General. The prosecution was handled by Gayle Helart and Monica Edelstein, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-2:17-cr-01410-DLR-1
RELEASE NUMBER: 2019-018_McCoy
The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, can be found online at http://www.justice.gov/usao/az or on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Key Facts
- State: Arizona
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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