Pleasanton Man, Prison Officer Charged With Sexual Abuse Of Inmates

DUBLIN, CA — A former Dublin Federal Correctional Institution officer has been hit with sexual abuse charges against two more female inmates, the United State Department of Justice said Thursday.

John Russell Bellhouse of Pleasanton, 39, was working as a correctional officer at the all-female prison. He was originally accused of sexually abusing one victim on Feb. 17. He is now accused of sexual misconduct toward three women who were under his custodial authority.

All of the acts of abuse allegedly happened within the FCI Dublin Camp Safety Office, according to the news release from the Justice department. The women's facility has been riddled with sexual misconduct cases over the last few years.

The first female inmate was identified as "Victim 1" and was reportedly abused by Bellhouse between February and October 2020, authorities said.

"Victim 2" and "Victim 3" were also under the supervision of Bellhouse when they were abused, the news release said.

"Individuals incarcerated in federal prison should never experience sexual abuse, and particularly not at the hands of correctional officers charged with maintaining safety and order within the institution’s walls," said United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds. "The security of inmates is a vital priority within our prison system."

The superseding indictment charges Bellhouse with two counts of abusive sexual contact against Victim 2. He will also face one count of sexual abuse against Victim 3, which happened between May and December 2020, authorities said.

For each charge, Bellhosue faces a maximum prison sentence of 15 years, a minimum five year term of supervision after his release from prison and a $250,000 fine.

He is scheduled to appear in court in Oakland on Oct. 13.

The new director of the federal Bureau of Prisons vowed Thursday that “the buck stops with me” when it comes to fixing the crisis-plagued agency, ticking off a list of top priorities, from solving a staffing crisis to ending widespread misconduct.

Colette Peters, who started in August, said the troubles she inherited have eroded trust in the agency among staff, inmates and the public. She cautioned that it'll take time to turn around the Justice Department’s largest component, with 122 facilities, 159,000 inmates and a budget of more than $8 billion — but that it must be done.

Peters said the agency has been conducting what it terms cultural assessments of its facilities, starting with its women’s prisons, like the one in Dublin,, where a former warden and four other workers were charged with sexually abusing employees. Based on those findings, the agency is making sure workers are trained in gender responsiveness and trauma-informed care, said Peters, who visited the Dublin prison this month.

“These individuals in our care have the right to feel safe when they are incarcerated with us,” Peters told The Associated Press after testifying. "So we’re going to do everything we can to ensure their safety.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.