Former prison secretary admits sex with inmate

DENVER - A former Florence prison secretary changed the beneficiaries of her life insurance from her children to an inmate with whom she had ongoing sexual relations.

When Janine Sligar pleaded guilty Friday to sexual abuse of a ward, the inmate, she admitted she had changed beneficiaries.

She faces up to 15 years in prison, but is likely to serve no more than 16 months because of sentencing guidelines. She is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 23.

A family member told an investigator about the insurance policy change, according to a plea agreement signed by Sligar and prosecutors.

Sligar, 47, admitted having sex with the inmate between 10 and 20 times from July 2007 to October 2007 at the Federal Prison Camp, where she worked and where he was in custody. The plea agreement describes sex between inmates and prison employees as "a huge security threat that compromises the institution and other correctional officers."

Agent Craig Trautner of the U.S. Justice Department's Office of Inspector General investigated Sligar after receiving information about her misconduct. The prison camp is part of the Justice Department. Sligar denied sexual involvement with the inmate until "confronted with the evidence against her," according to the eight-page plea agreement.

A search of her home revealed a journal with entries, and letters and photographs of a sexual nature, the plea agreement stated. In the court document, she admitted obtaining an additional cellular telephone "with a non-local number so the inmate could call her without raising suspicion."

She also admitted using a camera on her primary cell phone to take graphic pictures of a sexual nature depicting her and the inmate.

Sligar admitted she provided contraband, including explicit sexual photographs, a book, cards, letters and a dietary supplement, creatine, to the inmate.

U.S. District Judge Robert Blackburn asked her if she had done the things listed in the plea agreement.

"Yes, I did, your honor," she replied.

She had worked at the Florence prison complex for 14 years. When Sligar was charged in July, Assistant U.S. Attorney Linda McMahan, the prosecutor, listed Wray as Sligar's city of residence.


Source: chieftain.com