Former Bureau of Prisons Officer Pleads Guilty to Sexually Assaulting Two Women on Multiple Occasions and Lying to Investigators

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Adrian L. Stargell, 39, a former Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Correctional Officer who worked as an Education Specialist at the FCI-Aliceville facility in Aliceville, Alabama, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge L. Scott Coogler, announced DOJ Civil Rights Division Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband, U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town and Special Agent in Charge of the OIG Miami Field Office James F. Boyersmith. Stargell pleaded guilty to two counts of violating the rights of two women whom he sexually assaulted on multiple occasions and one count of making false statements to federal agents from the United States Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (OIG).

“The Department of Justice will not tolerate prison officials who abuse their positions of power to sexually assault individuals in their custody,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband. “The Civil Rights Division will continue to vigorously prosecute these cases and secure justice for victims of these despicable crimes.” 

“Sexual assault is as despicable as it is illegal,” said U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town.  “We will not tolerate this abhorrent behavior.  Our resolve must instead be to bring the full weight of our system of justice to every predator among us.”

“Stargell’s job was to help advance inmates’ rehabilitation through education,” said James F. Boyersmith, Special Agent in Charge of the OIG Miami Field Office.  “Instead, he abused his power, sexually assaulted two inmates, and lied to try to cover up his actions.  This kind of conduct will not be tolerated.  Special Agents at the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General will continue to ensure that anyone who commits these kinds of despicable acts are brought to justice.”

According to court documents, during 2017 and 2018, while on-duty as an Education Specialist, Stargell sexually assaulted two different women who were incarcerated at FCI-Aliceville. Stargell admitted that he knew what he was doing was wrong and against the law, yet he did it anyway. When OIG agents interviewed Stargell about the allegations of sexual misconduct, Stargell lied by falsely denying having any sexual contact with the victims.

Stargell will be sentenced on Aug. 27, 2020.

This case was investigated by the Miami Division of the DOJ OIG.  Assistant United States Attorney Robert Posey of the Northern District of Alabama and Special Litigation Counsel Fara Gold and Trial Attorney Anna Gotfryd of the Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice are prosecuting the case.