Ohio Corrections Officer Indicted for Inmate Abuse

Damon K. Perry, a 52-year-old correctional officer from Youngstown, Ohio, has been indicted for sexually abusing a female inmate under his supervision at the Mahoning County Jail on two occasions in November 2023. The federal grand jury indictment claims that Perry engaged in non-consensual sexual acts with the detainee on November 9 and November 30, 2023. U.S. Attorney Rebecca Lutzko emphasized that such abuse by those entrusted with prisoner care is unacceptable and highlights the significant power correction officers hold over inmates. The case is currently under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of the Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Joyce and Yasmine Makridis. Perry is scheduled for a pretrial conference on February 5, 2025, ahead of his jury trial set for February 18. The Mahoning County Jail houses federal detainees under contract with federal law enforcement.