A third correction officer at the York Correctional Institute in Niantic has been charged with sexual assault as part of a months-long criminal investigation, according to state police.
Correction officer Kareem Dawson, 34, turned himself in Tuesday and has been charged with second-degree sexual assault.
Department of Correction officials said Dawson will be placed on administrative leave effective Thursday, which is the beginning of his work week. Dawson has worked with the state Department of Correction since December 2005.
He's the third York correction officer accused of sexual misconduct in recent months, and state police said all three are accused of sexually assaulting the same inmate.
"An inmate did notify authorities that an alleged sexual assault did occur," state police spokesperson Trooper Kelly Grant said Tuesday.
Jeff Bromley, 47, of Niantic, was arrested and charged with second-degree sexual assault in February. An arrest warrant for Bromley said he bought food and small gifts for an inmate, took photographs of her and had sex with her in a prison basement and laundry room.
Two months later, in April, state police arrested correction officer Matt Gillette, 43, of Groton.
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Both Bromley and Gillette have been terminated, according to the DOC.
"We hate to hear about this, hate to learn about, hate to understand that it’s something that is even happening and unfortunately in this case it did happen and, no, we don’t stand for it which is why an investigation was opened and arrests were made," Grant said.
Details of the allegations against Dawson have not been released. Dawson posted $25,000 and is due in New London Superior Court on July 16.
