Federal prosecutors have indicted a corrections officer at the Federal Detention Center (FDC) in Philadelphia for allegedly sexually assaulting a female inmate under his supervision. The charges include aggravated sexual abuse and deprivation of civil rights.
According to the indictment, the assault occurred on July 6, 2024, when the officer allegedly pinned the prisoner to the ground and engaged in non-consensual sexual contact. The U.S. Attorney’s Office confirmed the alleged victim suffered injuries during the incident. The officer has been suspended from the Bureau of Prisons. If convicted, he faces a potential life sentence.
The case highlights growing concerns about institutional abuse within federal detention facilities. FDC Philadelphia—located at 7th and Arch Streets—houses nearly 950 individuals, including pretrial detainees and short-term federal inmates. The facility has faced scrutiny in recent years over safety and oversight, including prior incidents involving contraband smuggling and inmate violence.
Sauder Schelkopf is currently investigating potential civil claims on behalf of individuals who may have experienced abuse or neglect while held in federal or state custody.
If you or a loved one were harmed while in custody at FDC Philadelphia or another correctional facility, please contact us confidentially to discuss your legal options.
Experience Matters
Sauder Schelkopf has a nationally recognized litigation practice. The firm currently serves as court-appointed lead counsel in courts across the country. The attorneys at Sauder Schelkopf have recovered over $1 billion on behalf of their clients and class members. Our firm was recognized by the Legal Intelligencer’s 2022 Professional Excellence Awards. The Legal Intelligencer’s Professional Excellence Awards honor Pennsylvania law firms and attorneys who have made a significant, positive impact on the legal profession. Our firm was named in the Litigation Departments of the Year (Specialty Area category; runner-up), an award that honors the best litigation practice in a small or mid-sized firm in Pennsylvania. This recognition was based on the firm’s 2021 litigation work and its important ongoing cases. LawDragon has recognized our attorneys in its list of the “500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers” for 2022. This list notes: “From the opioid epidemic to toxic substances and defective products, truck accidents to wildfires and sexual abuse, these are the lawyers who stand on the front line in individual lawsuits and class actions seeking justice.” Mr. Schelkopf was named to Pennsylvania’s Best Lawyers® 2022 for Class Actions/Mass Tort Litigation. The American Lawyer named Mr. Sauder to its 2021 Northeast Trailblazers. The honor recognizes 60 lawyers who are “truly agents of change.” It “recognizes professionals in the Northeast who have moved the needle in the legal industry.” The Legal Intelligencer named Mr. Sauder and Mr. Schelkopf in its 2020 Pennsylvania Trailblazers list recognizing 31 lawyers who “have taken extra measures to contribute to positive outcomes . . . and who are truly agents of change.” The Legal highlighted the firm’s innovative work on advocacy as class counsel in large institutional sex abuse cover-ups, women’s, and children’s rights. Our attorneys have also consistently been recognized by their peers being named to Pennsylvania SuperLawyer, a distinction held by the top 5% of attorneys in Pennsylvania. The National Trial Lawyers Association has also selected our attorneys as the Top 100 Trial Lawyers in Pennsylvania.
We Want to Hear from You
If you or a loved one were harmed while in custody at FDC Philadelphia or another correctional facility, please contact us confidentially to discuss your legal options.