CCNO looks into inmate's charge of sex misconduct

4/18/2002

STRYKER, Ohio - Officials at the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio said yesterday that they're investigating a complaint from an inmate who accused a contract employee of sexual misconduct.

Jim Dennis, executive director of CCNO, said the employee who worked in the jail's commissary has resigned from the job.

The person was a contract employee who worked at CCNO through Aramark Corp., which handles food service operations at corrections facilities around the country.

Mr. Dennis said an administrative investigation into the matter could take several weeks to complete.

He said officials at the regional jail received information about the alleged incident late Friday.

He refused to release details about the complaint, noting that the matter remains under investigation and no charges have been filed.

“Nothing's happened formally,” Mr. Dennis said. “We're doing a very intensive investigation.”

He said the Williams County sheriff's office was contacted about the matter and has been consulted at times this week about the investigation.

Sheriff Al Word said CCNO is handling the probe, but his deputies are available to help if needed. His office will review the findings.

The investigation occurs on the heels of the conviction in February, 2000, of former jail supervisor Jeffrey Corbett, who was found guilty of four counts of sexual battery. He was sentenced in Williams County Common Pleas Court to 51/2 years in prison. A former female inmate said Corbett took her to various locations in the jail and sexually assaulted her.

Mr. Dennis said the jail has made many internal changes in light of that incident.