A former correctional officer has been arrested in Oahu, Hawaii, on multiple charges related to the alleged sexual abuse of female inmates at the Federal Detention Center in Honolulu.
Mikael Rivera, 45, of Kapolei, Hawaii, was a correctional officer at the Federal Detention Center from approximately 2014 to 2018. According to court documents, Rivera allegedly committed multiple sexual acts with one inmate through the use of threats and engaged in sexually abusive conduct with two additional inmates under his supervision.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced the arrest today, citing the defendant’s abuse of power as a correctional officer. ‘As alleged, the defendant abused his position of power as a correctional officer and sexually abused multiple inmates under his supervision,’ said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr.
Rivera is charged with six counts of sexual abuse by threats and 11 counts of sexual abuse of a ward. If convicted, he faces a maximum of life in prison on each count of sexual abuse by threats and up to 15 years in prison on each count of sexual abuse of a ward.
The case is being investigated by the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General with assistance from the FBI. Senior Litigation Counsel Marco A. Palmieri and Deputy Chief Jennifer A. Clarke of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara D. Ayabe for the District of Hawaii are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The charges against Rivera were announced on April 30, 2024, in Oahu, Hawaii. The case is ongoing, and no sentencing date has been set.
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Key Facts
- State: Hawaii
- Category: Sex Crimes|Violent Crime|Public Corruption
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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