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| Jail officers rounded up on sex-for-drugs charges |
| By Associated Press |
| Published: 01/19/2004 |
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Four officers have been indicted in a sex-for-drugs scheme that prosecutors described as a serious problem at the Allegheny County (Pa.) Jail. The arrests of several officers Friday follows a two-year grand jury investigation that found at least nine female inmates had been sexually assaulted. The grand jury found cigarettes, drugs, cash and other illegal contraband were used by officers "to reward or to induce female prison inmates to participate in sexual activity." "The action of these individuals is predatory in nature," said Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala. "This is a very coercive type of situation, obviously. Whether somebody is serving time or made a mistake or committed a crime, they don't deserve to be preyed upon like this." Most of the women involved were jailed for petty crimes, Zappala said. The investigation is ongoing and Zappala suggested more arrests are likely. The grand jury impaneled in January 2002 was disbanded Thursday due to statutes that limit investigations by an individual panel to two years. John Pastor, 53, of Elizabeth, and Joseph Addison, 54, of Pittsburgh, both jail officers for more than 20 years, were arraigned Friday, along with George DiDomenicus, 51, of Shaler Township. DiDomenicus has worked at the jail since 1994. Another officer, LeShawn Walker, 31, of Duquesne, was being sought by police Friday. All four men were indicted on charges of institutional sexual assault. Addison, DiComenicus and Walker were also indicted on charges of attempted institutional sex assault. |
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