Former Women's Huron Valley Correctional Facility officer charged with criminal sexual conduct
A former Women's Huron Valley Correctional Facility corrections officer is facing four felony charges after he allegedly engaged in multiple sexual acts with prisoners, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced.
Joshua Lee, 22, of Wyandotte, was arraigned Oct. 30 in Ypsilanti on four charges of second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a prisoner. Each count is a 15-year felony, according to prosecutors.
Prosecutors allege Lee engaged in multiple sexual acts involving penetration with several prisoners while he worked at the state's only women's prison.
Michigan State Police led the investigation.
"I want to thank both the Michigan Department of Corrections and the Michigan State Police for their swift action in investigating these allegations," Nessel said in a statement. "Everyone deserves protection from sexual abuse, and Michigan has laws in place to keep people safe in our correctional facilities. My office will continue to hold accountable those who seek to use their positions of authority to abuse those under their care."
According to Nessel, while Michigan law criminalizes sexual contact by corrections officers and prisoners, currently, no statute specifically addresses sexual penetration in such cases. As a result, Nessel says officers can be charged with second-degree criminal sexual conduct for either contact or penetration offenses. There is no difference specified under the law.
Nessel says she would like to see the Michigan Legislature update laws so that first- and third-degree criminal sexual conduct statutes cover sexual penetration by prison staff to "better protect inmates and reflect the seriousness of the alleged crimes."
"Our laws should match the severity of the crime, and this type of alleged sexual misconduct by corrections staff is a serious violation," Nessel said. "Updating these statutes will strengthen protections for inmates and ensure that penalties appropriately match the offense."
Lee is due back in court on Nov. 6.