Pubdate: Tue, 26 Oct 1999
Source: Houston Chronicle (TX)
Copyright: 1999 Houston Chronicle
Contact:  http://www.chron.com/
Forum: http://www.chron.com/content/hcitalk/index.html
Author: S.K. Bardwell
Note: Chronicle reporter Jo Ann Zuniga contributed to this story.

PRISONER SAYS SHE WAS RAPED IN TRANSIT TO CITY

State, County Officials Investigate Case

State and county authorities are investigating a 38-year-old woman's claims
that she was raped repeatedly by two employees of a private prisoner
transport company hired to return her from Corpus Christi to Houston.

She was charged Sept. 22 in connection with the theft of jewelry from an
employer, according to records. She was arrested earlier this month in
Corpus Christi, where she has relatives.

The woman pleaded guilty to a felony theft charge Monday before state
District Judge William Harmon, who sentenced her to 45 days in jail and five
years' probation. She was given credit for 30 days already served. She must
make restitution for $5,902.

She alleges that on Oct. 14 two employees of TransCor America, based in
Nashville, Tenn., picked up the woman and eight other prisoners at the
Nueces County Jail.

She arrived here Oct. 19, and immediately asked jailers at the Harris County
Jail to take her to a hospital.

She told her sister she and several other prisoners were on a six-day trip
to Amarillo, Dallas-Fort Worth, Lubbock and several other Texas cities
before arriving in Houston. She claims that the other prisoners witnessed
the alleged attacks but were threatened when they tried to stop the guards.

She spoke with officers of the Texas Department of Public Safety's Criminal
Intelligence Division last week. On Monday, Harris County Sheriff's
Department Maj. Juan Jorge said his department would investigate the case.

The sheriff's department has contracted with TransCor since 1995, and Jorge
said this is the first problem he's aware of other than a traffic accident
in which a prisoner was injured.

Founded in 1990, TransCor was acquired in 1994 by Corrections Corporation of
America. David Tucker, TransCor's vice president of operations, said the
company transports about 70,000 prisoners a year for more than 1,600
agencies across the nation.

Tucker said the two employees involved in transporting the woman have been
placed on administrative leave and that TransCor would assist the sheriff's
department in the investigation.

Chronicle reporter Jo Ann Zuniga contributed to this story.

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