JJT
04-26-2004, 02:16 AM
Prison officer accused of sexual misconduct resigns
Lt. Jeffrey Barcenas, a six-year veteran working at the Wilsonville women's prison, has pleaded not guilty
Tuesday, April 20, 2004 DANA TIMS
A six-year veteran of the Oregon Department of Corrections has resigned following an investigation into alleged sexual contact at the state women's prison.
Lt. Jeffrey Barcenas, 34, a corrections officer, had been on administrative leave since early February, shortly after authorities at the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility in Wilsonville began investigating complaints filed by inmates against men staff members.
Barcenas, who had pleaded not guilty in Washington County Circuit Court to nine counts of first-degree official misconduct, resigned Friday, said Norma Land, spokeswoman for the prison.
Christopher Don Randall, 33, Coffee Creek's food-services coordinator, resigned soon after the investigation was announced in late January, Land said. Randall has been indicted on four counts of first-degree official misconduct, a Class A misdemeanor. If convicted, Randall could be sentenced to as much as one year in jail. He is free after posting $1,484 security.
Barcenas and Randall have not responded to calls seeking comment on the case.
A third employee, who has not been named, also is under investigation on the complaints.
Sexual contact, even if consensual, is prohibited between inmates and staff, Land said, because of the inherent disparity in power.
Oregon State Police interviewed inmates who filed the complaints, as well as prison officers and personnel. The investigation has been turned over to the Washington County district attorney's office for further action, Lt. Dale Rutledge said.
A grand jury indictment handed down March 23 accused Barcenas of having intercourse with an inmate between May 10 and June 14 last year.
The indictment accused Randall, hired at Coffee Creek in December 1996, of having intercourse with the same inmate as well as one other inmate.
Land said the charges have not brought any changes in the way the prison trains its staff members.
"What we're doing is continuing our training with staff from the very beginning in terms of explaining what constitutes professionalism," she said. "Our employee code of conduct is very specific in outlining what constitutes professionalism toward inmates."
Dana Tims: 503-294-5973; danatims@news.oregonian.com
Lt. Jeffrey Barcenas, a six-year veteran working at the Wilsonville women's prison, has pleaded not guilty
Tuesday, April 20, 2004 DANA TIMS
A six-year veteran of the Oregon Department of Corrections has resigned following an investigation into alleged sexual contact at the state women's prison.
Lt. Jeffrey Barcenas, 34, a corrections officer, had been on administrative leave since early February, shortly after authorities at the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility in Wilsonville began investigating complaints filed by inmates against men staff members.
Barcenas, who had pleaded not guilty in Washington County Circuit Court to nine counts of first-degree official misconduct, resigned Friday, said Norma Land, spokeswoman for the prison.
Christopher Don Randall, 33, Coffee Creek's food-services coordinator, resigned soon after the investigation was announced in late January, Land said. Randall has been indicted on four counts of first-degree official misconduct, a Class A misdemeanor. If convicted, Randall could be sentenced to as much as one year in jail. He is free after posting $1,484 security.
Barcenas and Randall have not responded to calls seeking comment on the case.
A third employee, who has not been named, also is under investigation on the complaints.
Sexual contact, even if consensual, is prohibited between inmates and staff, Land said, because of the inherent disparity in power.
Oregon State Police interviewed inmates who filed the complaints, as well as prison officers and personnel. The investigation has been turned over to the Washington County district attorney's office for further action, Lt. Dale Rutledge said.
A grand jury indictment handed down March 23 accused Barcenas of having intercourse with an inmate between May 10 and June 14 last year.
The indictment accused Randall, hired at Coffee Creek in December 1996, of having intercourse with the same inmate as well as one other inmate.
Land said the charges have not brought any changes in the way the prison trains its staff members.
"What we're doing is continuing our training with staff from the very beginning in terms of explaining what constitutes professionalism," she said. "Our employee code of conduct is very specific in outlining what constitutes professionalism toward inmates."
Dana Tims: 503-294-5973; danatims@news.oregonian.com