A female employee was sexually assaulted Sunday at the Kentucky State Reformatory at LaGrange, and an inmate has been accused of the crime.

Charles Copeland, 23, an inmate from Louisville, is facing internal disciplinary charges of sexual assault and has been placed in segregation, state Corrections Department officials said yesterday.

Kentucky State Police are investigating and have not filed criminal charges but will seek an indictment from an Oldham County grand jury, said Capt. John Thorpe, commander of the state police post at Campbellsburg.

Corrections Department spokeswoman Lisa Lamb declined to provide further details about the assault, including where the female employee worked at the prison, saying officials are trying to protect the privacy of the victim.

Copeland is serving a 20-year sentence out of Jefferson County on convictions of robbery, attempted rape, kidnapping, sexual abuse, receiving stolen property and possession of a controlled substance.

Thorpe said state police probably will present results of the investigation to the grand jury next month.