A former federal prison correctional officer in Alabama pleaded guilty today to sexually assaulting two female inmates and lying to investigators about the assaults, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Adrian Stargell, 39, pleaded guilty to two counts of violating the rights of two women who he sexually assaulted multiple times and one count of making a false statement to federal agents, according to the DOJ’s press release Thursday.
Stargell worked as an education specialist at the federal FCI-Aliceville facility in Aliceville, where, according to court documents, in 2017 and 2018, he sexually assaulted the two women, according to the release. Stargell later admitted to the assaults, the DOJ release states.
“The Department of Justice will not tolerate prison officials who abuse their positions of power to sexually assault individuals in their custody,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband in a statement. “The Civil Rights Division will continue to vigorously prosecute these cases and secure justice for victims of these egregious crimes.”
“Sexual assault is as despicable as it is illegal,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Town from the Northern District of Alabama, in a statement. “We will not tolerate this abhorrent behavior. Our resolve must instead be to bring the full weight of our system of justice to every predator among us.”
“Stargell’s job was to help advance inmates’ rehabilitation through education,” said James Boyersmith, Special Agent in Charge of the OIG Miami Field Office said in a statement. “Instead, he abused his power, sexually assaulted two inmates, and lied to try to cover up his actions. This kind of conduct will not be tolerated. Special Agents at the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General will continue to ensure that anyone who commits these kinds of despicable acts are brought to justice.”
Stargell is to be sentenced on Aug. 27, 2020.
