As reported by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, in 2009 a former jail guard told a female inmate that he could get rid of her charges, for writing a bad check, if she cooperated with his demand for sex in exchange. The man has now been found guilty of felony sexual contact with a prisoner.
The sexual acts allegedly occurred within the walls of the St. Louis justice center.
T.W., 36, will be sentenced on December 13. The jury, returning its verdict on November 1, suggested he be given a 3 ½ year prison sentence. He is currently being held in the St. Louis County Jail.
T.W. did not testify in court and refused to speak to reporters.
In the closing arguments, Assistant Circuit Attorney Natalie Warner said that this case was just the "tip of the iceberg" as she feels there are other St. Louis jail workers that should not be employed at the jail.
Warner, refusing to further explain her comment only added, "We're going to start cleaning up at the justice center."
On January 9, 2009, a 29 year-old female was jailed on a bad check charge. While being held in the St. Louis jail she accused T.W. of using his authority to force her into sexual relations, in exchange for getting her charges to disappear. He selected the jail's janitor's closet for their sexual tryst.
In court the woman said, "He was over me and I felt like there was nothing I could do. I was scared."
She then reported the jailer's actions to the Cape Girardeau authorities. She was transferred that very day to a different jail.
Rubber gloves, found in the janitor's closet and checked for DNA, linked T.W. to four others. A scientist was unable, however, to determine if the source was semen.
John Washington, T.W.'s attorney, said that without semen as evidence there was no proof that his client had sex with anyone. Washington stated that the victim's testimony suggested that she was angry about being in jail, she was teased about being in jail and she may have been just after money while in jail. Washington further alleged that the victim couldn't be believed because she had a history of writing bad checks in Illinois, St. Louis and Cape Girardeau.
Washington claimed that the woman's motivation was a scam that included "revenge…then it went to greed. You can't trust her."
Warner told the jury to focus on one fact: if the two had sex it was illegal.
During the two-day trial C.H., a former jail supervisor, testified that he had been fired over having the knowledge of the sex between T.W. and the inmate, and his failure to report it. He admitted to lying to avoid being labeled as a snitch.
Warner said that the idea of a no-snitching code has "invaded our system."
Washington asked the jurors to express leniency in their recommended sentence and offered testimony from T.W.'s wife A.W., who stated that T.W. was a good father and provider.
Contact a criminal defense attorney by clicking here for our directory. If you are facing charges, from misdemeanor to felony, working with a criminal lawyer will be your best bet.
