Metropolitan Detention Center Guards Convicted in Sex Abuse Scandal
by Monte McCoin
PLN previously reported the 2017 arrests of a trio of Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) guards for repeatedly and violently sexually abusing at least six female prisoners who had been housed at the federal jail in Brooklyn, New York. [See: PLN, Nov. 2017, p.1; Jan. 2018, p.63].
On January 19, 2018, former lieutenant Carlos Richard Martinez was convicted by a jury of sexual abuse, sexual abuse of a ward and violating the civil rights of his victim, a young Dominican woman who testified about the attacks under the pseudonym “Maria.” U.S. District Court Judge Edward R. Korman has not yet imposed sentence in the case.
Eugenio Perez, a lieutenant in charge of training MDC staff on policies and procedures required by the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA), was convicted by a jury on May 14, 2018 for raping five other women who had been incarcerated at MDC. Perez could face life in prison for his crimes.
On November 8, 2017, the third federal jailer caught up in the scandal, former guard Armando Moronta, pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual abuse of a ward for attacks on three female prisoners. At the same time, he also pleaded guilty to bribery and narcotics conspiracy charges stemming from a separate indictment for his role in a drug smuggling scheme. [See: PLN, July 2017, p.63]. Moronta was sentenced to 10 years by U.S. District Court Judge Roslynn R. Mauskopf on October 24, 2018.
In January, April and August 2018, three of the victims filed separate federal civil rights complaints against the United States, Martinez, Perez and numerous other jail officials. Those cases remain pending. See: M.P. v. United States, U.S.D.C. (E.D. N.Y.), Case No. 1:18-cv-00459-KAM-PK; R.O. v. United States, U.S.D.C. (E.D. N.Y.), Case No. 1:18-cv-02059-KAM-PK; and A.P. v. United States, U.S.D.C. (E.D. N.Y.), Case No. 1:18-cv-04661-KAM-PK.
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Additional sources: www.thechiefleader.com, www.nytimes.com, www.justice.gov, www.nydailynews.com, www.nypost.com
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M.P. v. United States
| Cite | U.S.D.C. (E.D. N.Y.), Case No. 1:18-cv-00459-KAM-PK |
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R.O. v. United States
| Cite | U.S.D.C. (E.D. N.Y.), Case No. 1:18-cv-02059-KAM-PK |
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A.P. v. United States
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