Ohio corrections officer indicted for sexual abuse of federal inmate

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CLEVELAND, OH — A federal grand jury in Cleveland has indicted Damon K. Perry, 52, of Youngstown, on charges of sexually abusing a female inmate under his supervision at the Mahoning County Jail. The facility, which houses federal detainees under contract with a federal law enforcement agency, was the site of two alleged incidents of abuse in November 2023.

According to the indictment, Perry, a corrections officer at the time, committed the first act of sexual abuse on November 9, 2023, while the inmate was in his custody. A second incident reportedly occurred on November 30, involving the same detainee. Prosecutors allege both acts were non-consensual and violated the inmate’s rights while she was under federal detention.

“A prison sentence should never include sexual abuse, and certainly not sexual abuse committed by someone to whom we have entrusted a prisoner’s care and custody,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. She emphasized that corrections officers have a responsibility to uphold the safety and rights of inmates under their supervision.