A former correctional officer at a California women’s prison is facing nearly 100 criminal charges after authorities allege he abused his position to sexually assault 13 inmates over the course of nine years.
Gregory Rodriguez, 54, is facing 96 criminal charges including rape, sodomy, sexual battery and rape under color of authority, The Associated Press reported, citing the Madera District Attorney’s Office. Rodriguez stands accused of assaulting 13 victims since 2014 while serving as a corrections officer at the Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF), though most of the alleged assaults appear to have occurred in the past two years, the DA’s office revealed in a statement. (RELATED: Former Philadelphia Homicide Detective Facing Sexual Assault Allegations From Murder Victims’ Families)
Investigations into Rodriguez began in July 2022 when the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) received information suggesting that Rodriguez was engaging in sexual misconduct with women housed in the facility, a press release from the CDCR stated in Dec. 2022. During the initial investigation, authorities identified more than 22 potential victims, the release stated.
“Rodriguez shamefully hid behind his badge and used it to victimize a vulnerable population,” CCWF Warden Mike Pallares stated in the press release. “That is one of the most abhorrent acts one can commit in a peace officer position and once my investigative team uncovered his wrongdoing, I referred it to the Madera County District Attorney’s Office for criminal prosecution. We look forward to him being held accountable to the furthest extent of the law.”
If convicted on all charges, Rodriguez could be sentenced to more than 300 years in prison, the release from the DA’s office stated.