Dublin Cop Charged in Prison Sex Abuse Scandal

Dublin Cop Charged in Prison Sex Abuse Scandal

OAKLAND – In another shocking turn in the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Dublin sex abuse scandal, two correctional officers – Jeffrey Wilson and Lawrence Gacad – have been charged with sex abuse of female inmates. This brings the total number of correctional officers charged in the wide-ranging investigation to ten.

Wilson, 34, is charged with five counts of sexual abuse of a ward related to his alleged abuse of an FCI Dublin inmate, C.S. The information alleges that Wilson engaged in sexual abuse of the victim on multiple occasions between March 14, 2022, and Aug. 16, 2022. The acts allegedly occurred in a medical room at FCI Dublin. Wilson is also charged with falsely telling federal agents that he had never had sexual contact with C.S. and that he had never given her contraband while she was an inmate at FCI Dublin.

Gacad, 33, is charged with one count of abusive sexual contact related to his alleged abuse of an FCI Dublin inmate, S.L., between March 1, 2022, and June 14, 2022.

This case marks the ninth and tenth correctional officers to face charges in connection with the sex abuse scandal at FCI Dublin. The Department of Justice’s investigation into the abuse is ongoing, and authorities are urging anyone with information to come forward.

The cases against the defendants are as follows: Defendant, Case Number, Status

Warden Ray J. Garcia, 4:21-cr-00429-YGR, Convicted on all counts by jury on Dec. 8, 2022; sentenced to 70 months in prison

CO John Bellhouse, 4:22-cr-00066-YGR, Convicted on all counts by jury on June 5, 2023; sentenced to 63 months in prison

Chaplain James Highhouse, 4:22-cr-00016-HSG, Pleaded guilty on Feb. 24, 2022; sentenced to 84 months in prison

CO Enrique Chavez, 4:22-cr-00104-YGR, Pleaded guilty on Oct. 27, 2022; sentenced to 20 months in prison

CO Ross Klinger, 4:22-cr-00031-YGR, Pleaded guilty on Feb. 10, 2022; sentenced to one year of home confinement

CO Andrew Jones, 4:23-cr-000212-YGR, Pleaded guilty on Aug.17, 2023; sentenced to 96 months in prison

CO Nakie Nunley, 4:23-cr-000213-YGR, Pleaded guilty on Sept. 5, 2023; sentenced to 72 months in prison

CO Darrell Smith (a/k/a “Dirty Dick Smith”), 4:23-cr-00110-YGR, Indicted on April 13, 2023; trial scheduled for Sept. 2, 2025

CO Jeffrey Wilson, 4:25-cr-00180, Information filed on June 25, 2025

CO Lawrence Gacad, 4:25-cr-00181, Information filed on June 25, 2025

An information merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Wilson faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for each count of sexual abuse of a ward in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2243(b) and eight years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the count of false statements to a government agency in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1001(a)(2). Gacad faces a maximum sentence of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the count of abusive sexual contact in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2244(a)(4).

The prosecutions are the result of an investigation by the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Paulson, Alethea Sargent, Sailaja Paidipaty, and Molly Priedeman are prosecuting these cases with the assistance of Veronica Hernandez and Amala James.