Philly Prison Guard Accused Of Sexually Abusing Inmate Pleads Guilty

PHILADELPHIA — A former federal prison guard in Philadelphia has pleaded guilty to charges related to the sexual abuse of an inmate, authorities said.

United States Attorney David Metcalf said Michael Jefferson, 43, of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of aggravated sexual abuse, one count of sexual abuse, one count of sexual abuse of a ward, and one count of deprivation of rights under color of law.

Authorities said the charges stem from Jefferson's sexual abuse of a Federal Detention Center Philadelphia inmate that was under Jefferson's authority as a correctional officer.

Jefferson was charged with those offenses by indictment in May, with prosecutors saying the abused happened in the early morning hours of July 6, 2024.

According to authorities, Jefferson went into the inmate's cell and forced the victim to engage in a sexual act, resulting in bodily injury to the victim.

While acting under color of law, Jefferson willfully deprived the victim of her right not to be subjected to cruel and unusual punishment, a right secured and protected by the Constitution and laws of the United States, which includes the right to be free from sexual abuse by a correctional officer, authorities said.

Jefferson has been suspended from his position by the Bureau of Prisons and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 7. He faces a maximum possible term of life imprisonment.