Former Delaware County inmate claims sexual misconduct
BY SHEILA STOGSDILL World Correspondent
Saturday, January 05, 2013
1/05/13 at 5:32 AM
JAY - Another former female inmate has come forward with accusations of sexual misconduct in the Delaware County Jail, the OSBI said Friday.
A multimillion-dollar civil rights lawsuit was settled in November 2011.
Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation spokeswoman Jessica Brown said the woman "claimed a male and female jailer acted inappropriate to her."
The allegation surfaced during an ongoing OSBI investigation. Special prosecutor Brian Hermanson asked the agency in February to expand its investigation after the names of other possible victims surfaced.
The Delaware County Sheriff's Office was hit with a $13.5 million judgment after 15 former female inmates filed a federal rights civil lawsuit accusing former Sheriff Jay Blackfox of ignoring their complaints of sexual abuse.
Blackfox was not accused of any sexual misconduct and denied any wrongdoing.
Brown would not elaborate on the latest allegation other than to say that the claim is being investigated and a report will be forwarded to Hermanson.
Telephone calls to Hermanson, who is the district attorney for Kay and Noble counties, were not returned.
Lonnie Hunter, the jail's former administrator, and Bill Sanders Sr., a volunteer deputy, were at the center of the lawsuit. Sanders died in November 2008.
Hunter was fired in November 2011 and could not be reached for comment.
Sheriff Harlan Moore said he wasn't aware of the new allegation. Moore said that since he became the sheriff in October, he has been working on a comprehensive policy and procedures manual.
Delaware County commissioners, who approved the settlement, have said the evidence supported the women's accusations of rape and other sexual assaults and that had the case gone to trial, a judgment against the county could have been as high as $50 million.
A 17-year, half-cent sales tax went into effect July 1 to pay off the judgment.
Original Print Headline: Ex-inmate claims jail misconduct
