An Alabama correctional officer has been arrested for sexually abusing an inmate at the Julia Tutwiler Women’s Facility in Wetumpka.
Sgt. Laquentin Brantley, 34, faces charges of first-degree sodomy and custodial sexual conduct after allegedly coercing the inmate into sexual acts under the threat of punishment.
According to court documents, the abuse occurred on October 18, when Brantley ordered the inmate to expose her breasts, saying she would “never go home” if she refused.
The following day, Brantley reportedly forced her to perform oral sex.
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Brantley was arrested on November 7 and is currently held on a $15,000 bond. The inmate’s identity has not been disclosed, and it’s unclear whether Brantley has a lawyer.
The arrest comes as the Tutwiler facility, which has been under federal oversight since 2015 due to a history of sexual abuse, faces new scrutiny.
Federal investigators first became involved after finding a pattern of sexual abuse by staff at the facility. While the Department of Justice had planned to scale back oversight, these new charges could affect that decision.