A former prison warden was sentenced Wednesday in California to five years and 10 months in prison for sexually abusive conduct against three female inmates, officials stated.
Ray J. Garcia was also convicted of one count of making false statements to government agents, according to federal officials.
Garcia, 55, of Merced, California, was sentenced following his conviction by a federal jury in December 2022.
Trial evidence showed that Garcia was employed as an associate warden and later as the warden of the Federal Correctional Institute in Dublin, California (FCI Dublin), an all-female low security federal correctional institution.
All three of Garcia’s victims were incarcerated and serving their prison sentences at FCI Dublin when the crimes occurred.
Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco said: “This prosecution should serve as both warning and reassurance that the Department of Justice will not waver in holding accountable BOP employees and executives who abuse their authority — whether they be a correctional officer, chaplain, or warden — and in pursuing justice for their victims.”
“Corrections officials are sworn to protect people and preserve civil rights — the extreme opposite of this defendant’s heinous actions,” said FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate. “Garcia assaulted and harmed those in his care and custody, attempted to intimidate them into silence, and then lied in an effort to cover up his crimes. The FBI is grateful to the brave women who came forward to report these vile offenses…”
The trial evidence established that Garcia abused inmates from December 2019 until July 2021.
Garcia’s sexual abuse and abusive sexual contact against Victim 1 began in December 2019 and extended through March 2020, the abuse of Victim 2 occurred from January to July 2021 and the abuse of Victim 3 occurred during the period from March to September 2020.
The jury convicted Garcia of three counts of sexual abuse and one count of sexually abusive contact as to Victim 1, two counts of abusive sexual contact as to Victim 2, and one count of abusive sexual contact as to Victim 3.
The government’s sentencing memorandum described how Garcia also sought to deter his victims from coming forward.
For example, Garcia told his victims he was friends with the person in charge of investigating sexual abuse of inmates, boasted that he could “never be fired,” and warned them that he worked for “Washington, D.C.”
Garcia also instructed a victim to “get rid of any evidence” and reported falsely to another victim that a different inmate was sent back to FCI Dublin after pictures of a correctional officer were found on her phone.
According to the government’s memorandum, Garcia created and perpetuated a culture of abuse.
The government also pointed out that four other correctional officers at FCI Dublin have been charged with sexually abusing inmates while Garcia was associate warden or warden.
The trial evidence also demonstrated Garcia made false statements to federal investigators.
On July 22, 2021, Garcia was interviewed and told investigators he never asked inmates to be undressed for him and that he had never touched an inmate inappropriately.
Trial evidence showed that Garcia had already asked multiple inmates to undress for him and had also touched Victim 1, Victim 2 and Victim 3 in a sexual manner.
Garcia was initially charged with sexual abuse of an inmate on Sept. 24, 2021.
A federal grand jury issued a superseding indictment on Aug. 23, 2022, charging Garcia with three counts of sexual abuse and four counts of abusive sexual contact against three female inmates.
The superseding indictment also charged Garcia with one count of making false statements to a government agency while investigating the criminal acts.
On Dec. 8, 2022, a jury convicted Garcia of all counts.
Judge Gonzalez Rogers also ordered Garcia to pay $15,000 as restitution and report to surrender on or before May 19 to begin serving his prison term.
The Justice Department Office of Inspector General and the FBI are investigating the case, with the cooperation of the Bureau of Prisons.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Molly Priedeman and Andrew Paulson for the Northern District of California, with the assistance of Madeline Wachs, Leeya Kekona and Sara Slattery are prosecuting the case.