Dublin Prison Warden Charged With Sexually Abusing Inmate

DUBLIN, CA — A Dublin prison warden was charged with sexually abusing at least one woman incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institute Dublin.

Ray J. Garcia, 54, of Merced was charged with one count of sexual abuse of a ward, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California. The charge was filed Sept. 24 and unsealed Wednesday.

Garcia's custody situation was not clear.

He faces up to 15 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 if convicted.

Attempts to locate an attorney for Garcia were unsuccessful.

Garcia was the associate warden at FCI Dublin, a low-security women's facility, at the time of the investigation and had disciplinary authority over inmates, prosecutors said. He was placed on administrative leave in July amid the investigation.

He is accused of digitally penetrating a woman multiple times, including one occasion when the woman pushed his hand away during the assault, prosecutors said. Garcia took her hand and placed it on his crotch, prosecutors said.

Garcia is also accused of asking that woman and another woman to strip naked as he performed his rounds, prosecutors said. He took photographs on his phone and kept them on a personal computer, prosecutors said.

Hundreds of graphic photographs, including nude photos of Garcia and of male and female genitalia, were found on his work phone issued by the Bureau of Prisons, prosecutors said.

He told the women that he could not be fired because he was close with the person who investigated inmates' misconduct complaints, prosecutors said.

Garcia received training on inappropriate sexual and financial relationships with inmates and even directed training on the Prison Rape Elimination Act in 2019 and 2020, prosecutors said.

This is the second time in about three months that an FCI Dublin employee was accused of sexual abuse of a ward.

Ross Klinger, 36, of Riverside was charged June 25 after investigators determined he had sex with two inmates, told them that he wanted to father their children and marry them, and gave gifts or money to the inmates and their families, prosecutors said.

Klinger had not entered a plea as of Thursday. His case remains ongoing.