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Correctional Officer Charged with Sexual Abuse of a Ward
Oakland – Ross Klinger, a 36-year-old correctional officer, has been charged with sexual abuse of a ward in a federal complaint unsealed on June 25, 2021. Klinger, of Riverside, California, allegedly had sexual relationships with at least two female inmates while working at the Federal Correctional Institute Dublin (FCI Dublin), an all-female low-security federal correctional institution.
According to the complaint, Klinger had disciplinary authority over the inmates and received training that prohibited inappropriate relationships with them. Despite this, he allegedly had sexual intercourse with both inmates and made plans to marry them. He also gave them money, gifts, and other forms of compensation.
“Prison officials are given great power over incarcerated individuals and are entrusted to use that power to ensure the care, safety, and control of the people placed under the government’s supervision,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds. “The abuse of these powers echoes through the entire criminal justice system and threatens to compromise the public’s trust in the system’s legitimacy.
Klinger is accused of repeatedly having sexual intercourse with one of the victims in a storage warehouse at FCI-Dublin between April 2020 and October 2020. After transferring to a different BOP prison in San Diego, he allegedly kept in touch with the victim using the alias “Juan Garcia,” and communicated with her via email and video visits. He also gave money to the victim’s mother and visited her family, including her minor children.
According to the complaint, Klinger also had sexual intercourse with the second victim in a Conex box on FCI Dublin’s campus, while another inmate acted as a lookout. After the victim was released to a halfway house, Klinger remained in contact with her via text message and Snapchat. Klinger visited the victim at the halfway house, where he engaged in sexual intercourse with the victim and proposed to her with a diamond ring.
Klinger faces one count of sexual abuse of a ward, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2243(b). He was arrested this morning and made an initial federal court appearance in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. His first appearance in the Northern District of California has not yet been scheduled.
The charges contained in the criminal complaint are mere allegations. As in any criminal case, the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. If convicted of the charge, Klinger faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: Sex Crimes|Public Corruption|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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