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A Hispanic former prison officer was sentenced Monday to 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release for sexually assaulting a woman in federal custody in Los Angeles. who was in isolation due to the coronavirus in December 2020, officials from the United States Department of Justice reported.
According to a statement from the Department of Justice, the sentenced, identified as José Viera, 49, a resident of Monterey Park, was an officer of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) and worked at the Los Angeles Metropolitan Detention Center.
Former BOP Corrections Officer Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Sexually Assaulting a Woman in Federal Custody in Los Angeles https://t.co/ZGJDKuOTBE
— DOJ Civil Rights (@CivilRights) March 20, 2023
The ex-Hispanic officer was assigned to supervise incarcerated women who were in quarantine after being exposed to COVID or becoming infected with the disease.
In a statement, the United States Department of Justice said that on the morning of December 20, 2020, Viera entered the victim’s cell, which was isolated due to COVID, to bring him breakfast, which he had done on previous occasions. .
“Instead, Viera lay down next to the victim on her bed, placing her between her body and the wall. Then he sexually assaulted her. Viera committed this assault despite knowing that the victim did not consent to it and that her actions violated her constitutional rights,” the Justice Department said in the statement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Justice Department’s Office of Inspector General reviewed the case, and During the investigation, Viera lied to federal agents about the sexual assault allegations..
“The job of a corrections officer is to ensure the safety of people in custody. Instead, the defendant’s actions did the exact opposite, destroying this woman’s sense of peace and confidence in law enforcement. We hope this sentence provides a measure of justice for the victim,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
The deputy director in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles field office, Donald Always, said the office prioritizes cases where abuse by officers is reported.
“Mr. Viera abdicated his duty and obligation to treat the prisoners under his charge with dignity,” Always said.
In March 2022, the former Hispanic officer was placed on administrative leave.
On May 24, 2022, Viera pleaded guilty to a single count of disenfranchisement under the guise of the law for sexually assaulting a woman in custody.
On Monday, March 20, United States District Judge Otis D. Wright II sentenced Viera to 120 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release.
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