A former deputy in Ohio has been sentenced to more than nine years in prison for sexually abusing a female inmate under his supervision at the Mahoning County Jail. Damon K. Perry, 53, of Youngstown, received a sentence of 112 months from U.S. District Judge Donald C. Nugent after pleading guilty in May to two counts each of sexual abuse of a detainee and sexual abuse.
According to court documents, Perry admitted that he engaged in non-consensual sexual acts with a federal detainee on two occasions in November 2023 while she was held at the facility. The Mahoning County Jail operates under contract with a federal law enforcement agency to house detainees as needed.
U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio stated: “Mr. Perry’s abusive and appalling actions against a detainee were a violation of her basic human rights. Using his power of authority to deliberately take advantage of a woman, who he was charged with supervising, is dishonorable and despicable.” He also expressed gratitude to the Department of Justice’s Office of the Inspector General for investigating the case.
The investigation was led by the DOJ’s Office of the Inspector General, and Assistant United States Attorney Yasmine Makridis prosecuted the case for the Northern District of Ohio.
