A former chaplain with the Federal Bureau of Prisons has been sentenced to 84 months in prison for repeatedly sexually abusing an incarcerated female and then lying to federal agents.
James Theodore Highhouse, 50, was sentenced in federal court in the Northern District of California on [February 23, 2022] for five felonies related to his misconduct.
According to court documents, Highhouse was employed by the BOP as a corrections worker and chaplain starting in 2016 and was assigned to work at Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Dublin, a federal prison that houses female inmates in Northern California.
In his role as a prison chaplain, he led religious services and offered spiritual guidance to incarcerated women. He also taught religious-based classes about boundaries and self-worth, with the understanding that many of the women with whom he interacted came from a background of trauma, abuse and substance addiction.
However, Highhouse used his position of trust to exploit and sexually abuse the victim, who had sought him out for spiritual guidance and emotional comfort. He regularly met with her alone in his office and used Biblical parables and her religious beliefs to manipulate her and coerce her into submitting to him.
The victim reported Highhouse to federal authorities in February 2019, and he was subsequently charged with five felonies, including sexual abuse of a ward and making false statements to federal agents.
Highhouse previously entered a guilty plea on February 23, 2022, and was sentenced to 84 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release.
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Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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