CALIFORNIA – More than three months after the closure of the notorious women’s prison in Dublin, federal prosecutors continue to work towards holding correctional officers accountable for the alleged sexual abuse of inmates.
On July 26, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that a federal grand jury had issued a 15-count indictment against former guard Darrell Wayne Smith, accusing him of victimizing five women under his control at the Federal Correctional Institution in Dublin (FCI Dublin).
“The alleged actions of the defendant are some of the most disturbing accusations we have seen against a former federal corrections officer,” said Michael D. Nordwall, executive assistant director of the FBI’s Cyber and Criminal Response and Services Division.
“Sexual abuse leaves scars on all who survive it, but it can be particularly traumatizing when perpetrated by someone in a position of trust or authority.”
Smith, 55, now residing in Florida, was initially charged in April 2023 with sexually abusing three women. The expanded indictment added two more victims to the case, along with a charge of violating the civil rights of a victim under the color of law.
The alleged abuses occurred between 2016 and 2021. If convicted, Smith could face multiple life sentences.
At least eight employees of FCI Dublin — including guards, a warden, and a chaplain — have been accused since 2021 of sexually abusing women at the low-security women’s institution, which inmates dubbed the “Rape Club.”
So far, five have pleaded guilty, and two have been convicted at trial, including former warden Ray Garcia.
Smith’s trial is scheduled for March 17, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in Oakland.
Rogers has sentenced several of the defendants in the case to prison and is overseeing a class-action lawsuit against the BOP that will go to trial next year.
Calling the prison a dysfunctional disaster, Rogers appointed a special master to oversee the institution in April. Still, BOP officials closed the facility days later, relocating the inmates to other prisons across the country.
Last month, inspired largely by the treatment of inmates at FCI Dublin, the U.S. Senate passed a prison oversight bill that lawmakers hope will prevent the toxic conditions that led to the institution’s closure from recurring elsewhere.
The Bipartisan Federal Prisons Oversight Act, previously passed by the House of Representatives, was sent to President Joe Biden for signature.
The law will require the Department of Justice’s Inspector General to conduct thorough inspections of the BOP’s 122 correctional facilities, provide recommendations for addressing issues, and assign each facility a risk score. High-risk facilities will be inspected more frequently.
All victims deserve to be heard and receive justice. If you or a loved one has been affected, you are not alone. Contact Farahi Law Firm to receive the help and support you need.
