RICHMOND, VA - A Henrico County Jail chaplain who overcame a criminal past to become a trusted clergyman is facing charges of having sex with female inmates.

A Henrico Circuit Court grand jury on May 8 handed down two indictments charging Toney Leon McDonald, 42, with having oral sex with a 29-year-old inmate and engaging in sexual battery upon another, 23-year-old inmate. He surrendered Friday afternoon.

McDonald was first arrested Wednesday and served with four indictments returned Monday by a New Kent County grand jury. Those allege that McDonald had sex with a 23-year-old female inmate at Henrico's Jail East facility in New Kent in February 2005. The inmate in that case is the same one whom McDonald is charged with sexually battering in Henrico, a sheriff's official said.

The latest indictments charge that McDonald engaged in the activities between Jan 1, 2004 and July 1, 2005, at Henrico's Jail West facility.

Authorities began investigating McDonald months ago after receiving information from female inmates that the minister was engaging in inappropriate behavior.

One inmate who claimed to have had a relationship with him was Ashley Baskerville, later, one of nine homicide victims in Richmond during the first six days of 2006.

Though authorities say all the sexual encounters were consensual, they pointed out that state law strictly bars such contact between corrections employees and support staff.

It's McDonald's latest clash with the law.

McDonald was a Richmond sheriff's deputy when he was arrested during a 1991 drug sting. He pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and conspiracy to deliver marijuana to an inmate.

He was released from jail in 1993. Henrico Sheriff Mike Wade said authorities began investigating him again after Baskerville tipped them off to their relationship. McDonald lost his jail security clearance in October and was terminated from his chaplain's post at Good News Jail and Prison Ministry.

Authorities also uncovered a relationship with a third woman, though charges will not be filed since she has moved out of state. McDonald's trial on the Henrico charges is set for Aug. 30. No trial date is set in the New Kent case.