Former Bureau Of Prisons Doctor Sentenced For Sexual Abuse Of Three Inmates

Physician Was Charged in Atlanta and Washington, D.C.
With Sexually Abusing Inmates

ATLANTA - Dr. Lewis Jackson, 34, of Atlanta, was sentenced today in federal district court for sexually assaulting three inmates at the United States Penitentiary in Atlanta while employed as a physician with the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.  Jackson was sentenced to 2 years, 1 month in prison by United States District Court Judge Amy Totenberg.  He is awaiting sentencing in the District of Columbia where he pleaded guilty in January to sexually assaulting an inmate while working at the District of Columbia jail.

United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said, “The federal inmates who relied on Dr. Jackson for their care believed he would treat them humanely.  He exploited this trust when he sexually abused three inmates at the United States Penitentiary in Atlanta and another inmate at the District of Columbia jail.  His conduct cost him his license to practice medicine and ensured he will spend the next several years as an inmate himself.”

This case was investigated by Special Agents of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (OIG).  Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz stated:  “Dr. Jackson’s actions victimized inmates and undermined the good work of the correctional staff at USP Atlanta.  The OIG will not tolerate conduct by Justice Department employees that risks the safety of inmates and correctional officers.”

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.  When confronted by special agents with the Department of Justice’s, 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 sexually assaulted the inmates.

Jackson recently pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District Columbia to 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 from Jackson.  Jackson was on bond in that case at the time of his arrest in Atlanta.

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.