Three federal prison guards in New York City have been arrested on charges that they sexually abused female prisoners at Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.
According to federal prosecutors, 47-year-old Carlos Richard Martinez (seen on the left), 46-year-old Eugenio Perez and 39-year-old Armando Moronta were indicted separately for independent incidents.
Prosecutors said Martinez repeatedly raped a female prisoner from December 2015 to April 2016.
They say he forced himself on her almost every weekend for a period of about two months and exploited her fear of facing additional jail time so she would stay silent.
Prosecutors say Martinez knew the prisoner spoke minimal English and would eventually be deported.
According to prosecutors, Perez abused five different female inmates between 2013 and 2016, using force and intimidation in some cases.
Prosecutors say Moronta molested three female inmates between May and June of last year.
Perez's attorney said his client is innocent. "He's a human being who, honestly, this is very serious for him. We're in federal court, and I think he's responding appropriately. He's worried about himself and his family," defense attorney Kenneth Montgomery said.
"He's presumed innocent, he's plead not guilty, and we're going to zealously defend the charges," Montgomery said.
If convicted on all of the counts against them, Martinez and Perez face up to life in prison, and Moronta faces up to 60 years in prison.
Martinez and Perez were suspended without pay upon being arrested. Moronta was previously suspended without pay for other conduct.
All three were arraigned Thursday.