Eric Todd Ellis, Sex Abuse and Witness Tampering, Alabama 2023

State: Alabama
Category: Sex Crimes
Source: <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndal/pr/former-bureau-prisons-corrections-officer-sentenced-sexually-abusing-inmate-and-witness" style="color:#cc0000;" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">DOJ Press Release ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Â Ã¢â‚¬â€

A former corrections officer has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for sexually abusing an inmate and trying to cover it up.

Eric Todd Ellis, 32, a former Bureau of Prisons (BOP) corrections officer at the FCI-Aliceville facility in Aliceville, Alabama, was sentenced on Today in federal court in Birmingham, Alabama.

Ellis previously pleaded guilty to one count of sexual abuse of a ward and one count of tampering with a witness. He was on-duty and acting in his capacity as a corrections officer when he engaged in a sexual act with a female inmate on June 11, 2020 in the back of the laundry room of the prison.

Ellis then admitted his conduct to another corrections officer and told that officer to lie to the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) while they were investigating his conduct. On a recorded call, Ellis said: “Just tell [the OIG agents], yeah, we’re friends, but, I mean, you hadn’t really talked to me about it. And when you have it’s – I’ve just told you that nothing happened.”

“Prison employees who abuse their positions of power to sexually assault individuals in their custody, and then attempt to cover up their crimes, will be held accountable,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

“The Civil Rights Division will continue to secure justice for sexual assault victims, including those held in the custody and control of law enforcement officials.”

Ellis will also serve five years of supervised release after his prison term. The case was investigated by the Miami Division of the OIG. Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Posey and Assistant U.S. Attorney Robin Mark of the Northern District of Alabama and Special Litigation Counsel Fara Gold and Trial Attorney Anna Gotfryd of the Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case.

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