The federal government has paid $40,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by a woman who was sexually assaulted by a correctional officer while she was serving time at the Federal Detention Center.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment in April 2012 charging the correctional officer, Richard Seaman, with five counts of sexual abuse of an adult ward in custody.
The woman saved DNA from one of the encounters on her shirt and turned the shirt over to investigators. She said Seaman told her that if she reported him to authorities, nothing would happen to him but that she would be punished.
Seaman, 49, resigned from his job following his arrest on the indictment.
He pleaded guilty in December 2012 to one of the charges and admitted that he had had sex with the woman in December 2011, while he was working as the center’s commissary supervisor.
It is unlawful for a prison guard to engage in a sexual act with anyone in detention or custody.
A federal judge sentenced Seaman in July 2013 to 20 months in prison and fined him $3,000.
With credit for good behavior, Seaman completed his prison term early. The U.S. Bureau of Prisons released him from custody this past January.
The woman, using the pseudonym "Jane Doe," sued the government and Seaman in November 2012.
Seaman did not hire a lawyer to contest the lawsuit.
The government agreed to pay the entire $40,000 settlement this past March. It hopes to collect some money from Seaman for his share of the settlement.
U.S. District Senior Judge Alan C. Kay approved the settlement Monday.
