Inmates allege molestation

The sheriff said the jailer is scheduled to take a polygraph test Monday.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- A Trumbull County jailer has been placed on paid administrative leave after two female inmates said he molested them.
The jailer, who has worked for the county for two years, has denied the allegations, said Sheriff Thomas Altiere.
"He will take a polygraph test Monday, and we hope to get the results of that test the same day," Altiere said. At this point, the case is being investigated internally, Altiere said, adding that he'll ask the state Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation to get involved if it appears to be a criminal matter.
The internal investigation was not completed Friday. The sheriff says he hopes the report will be finished next week.
Altiere declined to identify the officer but said he has not had any problems in the past.
"This was a surprise; I was shocked," Altiere said. "I found out about it Wednesday, and I immediately assigned four detectives to the case."
About the reports
One of the inmates told an assistant warden Wednesday that the male jailer molested her about a month ago, Altiere said. Shortly after the first inmate made the allegation, a second inmate told another employee that the jailer had molested her, too, the sheriff said.
The women are in the same section of the jail but do not share the same cell, Altiere said. He did not know if the women knew each other.
The sheriff declined to say why the women are in jail.
Detectives have taken several statements and are continuing to talk to jail personnel.
Officials also searched the women's area of the jail for evidence. Altiere declined to say if anything was found.
Officials noted that there are security cameras in some parts of the women's section.
"There are blind spots for privacy purposes," the sheriff said.
He noted that there are normally two jailers assigned to each section of the jail.
"There are times, however, that the one jailer will be there alone because of breaks," Altiere said. "We consider this a very, very serious matter and are doing everything possible to investigate it."
sinkovich@vindy.com