A new indictment has accused a former correctional officer at a federal women’s prison in California, which has since been closed, of abusing additional female inmates. The prison was known as the “rape club.”
A superseding indictment was issued by a federal grand jury on Thursday, charging Darrell Wayne Smith with 15 counts of sexual abuse, including a civil rights violation, against five women who were incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institution in Dublin, Calif., in the East Bay.
Smith, who was commonly referred to as “Dirty Dick” by detainees, had previously been charged with sexually assaulting three female inmates. Between 2016 and 2021, he is accused of sexually assaulting the women in their cells and a laundry facility.
Eight FCI Dublin personnel, including a former warden, have been accused of sexually abusing women at the prison. Smith is one of them. Inmates have accused him of actively roaming the prison, seeking out victims, and locking women in their quarters until they exposed themselves to him.
“Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz of the U.S. Department of Justice announced today’s superseding indictment, which includes three new allegations of sexual assault against Smith, a Correctional Officer at FCI Dublin.” “The 15 charges against Smith allege that he sexually abused numerous inmates over a period of several years, including brazen and violent acts.”
In April, the Bureau of Prisons closed FCI Dublin, claiming that the facility failed to meet standards despite the agency’s provision of resources to address the cultural issues of abuse and employee malfeasance.
The prison was the site of allegations of illicit activity that extended to the highest levels. In March, Warden Ray J. Garcia was found guilty of sexually abusing and having intercourse with inmates. Inmates are prohibited from consenting to sexual intercourse with prison personnel under legal constraints. Garcia was sentenced to 70 months in federal incarceration.
The facility has been the subject of a scandal for several years, and the most recent indictment is consistent with this trend. Eight FCI Dublin employees have been charged with sexually abusing detainees since an FBI investigation was initiated in 2021, which culminated in arrests. Five individuals have entered guilty pleas, and two, including Garcia, have been found guilty by juries. This year, an additional employee is scheduled to undergo a trial.
“U.S. Deputy Atty. Gen. Lisa Monaco stated in a statement that Officer Daryl Smith committed appalling criminal acts by sexually abusing those under his care and custody, as has been alleged.” “This superseding indictment is the most recent outcome of the department’s ongoing efforts to ensure that victims of sexual assault at FCI Dublin receive justice.”
Smith, 55, who currently resides in Florida, was charged with engaging in unlawful sexual acts with three female inmates in the initial federal indictment, which was filed on April 13, 2023. It encompassed 12 counts of sexual abuse that took place between 2016 and May 2021, during which Smith is purportedly involved in sexual activity with three female detainees.
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Three new charges are added to Smith’s indictment, including a federal civil rights violation that is based on allegations of aggravated sexual assault against one of the women. Additionally, two additional victims are identified by their initials.
The new indictment has not been scheduled for an arraignment. The jury trial for Smith, who was detained in May and subsequently released on bail, is scheduled to commence on March 17.
Source: Los Angeles Times