Former Bureau of Prisons Doctor Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse Charges
Physician Charged in Atlanta and Washington, D.C. with Sexually Abusing Inmates
ATLANTA - Dr. Lewis Jackson, 34, of Atlanta, pleaded guilty today in federal district court to sexually assaulting three inmates at the United States Penitentiary in Atlanta. Sentencing is scheduled for February 7, 2013, at 10:00 a.m., before United States District Judge Amy Totenberg.
United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said, “The inmates Dr. Jackson saw at the United States Penitentiary had a right to humane treatment during their incarceration. Instead, Dr. Jackson used his authority to sexually abuse prisoners. His plea today comes as he continues to face similar sexual abuse allegations in Washington, D.C. relating to his alleged abuse of inmates there.”
According to United States Attorney Yates, the charges and other information presented in court, from January 2011 through July 2012, Jackson was a physician at the United States Penitentiary (USP) in Atlanta where he provided medical care to inmates in USP's medical ward. The USP houses medium security male inmates and has a satellite camp for minimum security male inmates.
In October 2011, Jackson molested three inmates who were seeking medical treatment at the USP. In each case, Jackson tried to perform oral sex on the inmates during the course of their medical exams. In one case, Jackson also attempted to engage in anal sex with an inmate. When confronted by special agents with the Department of Justice, Office of Inspector General, Jackson originally denied engaging in the sex acts. After agents played an undercover recording made by one of the inmates, however, Jackson admitted he had attempted to perform a series of sex acts on the inmates.
Jackson was recently indicted in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia with three counts of sexually abusing another inmate in the District of Columbia Jail in 2008. According to that indictment, Jackson performed a series of sex acts on the inmate after he sought medical treatment while in jail. Jackson was on bond in that case at the time of his arrest in Atlanta.
Jackson was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 28, 2012, and charged with three counts of sexually abusing a ward and one count of lying to federal agents. The most serious charges relating to the sexual abuse of the prisoners carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. In determining the actual sentence, the Court will consider the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which are not binding, but provide appropriate sentencing ranges for most offenders.
This case is being investigated by Special Agents of the Department of Justice, Office of Inspector General.
Assistant United States Attorney Kurt R. Erskine is prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney's Public Information Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the HomePage for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia is www.justice.gov/usao/gan.
