Fourth staffer charged with sexual abuse at California women’s prison

A staffer at a California women’s prison was charged with sexual abuse Tuesday. The arrest follows those of three others on similar charges, reports The Associated Press.

James Theodore Highhouse was charged with sexual abuse of a ward, abusive sexual contact and making false statements to investigators. Prosecutors say this behavior occurred multiple times in 2018 and 2019.

Prosecutors said that Highhouse, a corrections worker and chaplain at FCI Dublin, lied to various government officials after the allegations, including FBI and Justice Department inspector general investigators.

They also say that Highhouse lied in interviews about the issue in February 2019.

Highhouse is the fourth worker at FCI Dublin to be charged with sexually abusing inmates in the last few months.

FCI Dublin Warden Ray Garcia was arrested in September for allegedly molesting an inmate, scheduling times where he forced her to undress in front of him and collecting nude images of her on a government-issued phone.

A recycling technician and a correctional officer were also charged, the technician for coercing two inmates into sexual activity and the officer for sexual conduct with an inmate to whom he then gave special privileges.

Multiple other staffers at FCI Dublin are currently under investigation.

FCI Dublin is the same prison where Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman were sentenced for bribery in the college admissions scandal.