A former Detroit federal corrections employee faces up to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty yesterday to sexually abusing a female inmate under his supervision.
Arthur Foster, 41, of Detroit, admitted last week to the assault that took place on February 5, 2025. At the time, Foster was working at the Cherry Health Community Treatment Center, a federal residential reentry facility. According to court documents, Foster ordered the victim, identified in records as Victim Inmate-1, to meet him inside a restroom where the abuse occurred. Because of his position at the center, the inmate was under Foster’s direct custodial authority.
The guilty plea was jointly announced by U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr., Matthew Loux of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General, and Jennifer Runyan of the Detroit FBI. The case falls under strict federal laws and prison rules that mandate a zero-tolerance policy for any sexual abuse, assault, or harassment within U.S. correctional facilities.
“This defendant abused the public trust in the worst way by sexually assaulting a person under his care. This is crime hurts the victim, the institution, and our system of justice,” U.S. Attorney Gorgon said following the plea.
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The investigation was a joint effort between the DOJ’s Office of the Inspector General and the FBI. Along with a potential 15-year prison sentence, the felony charge of sexual abuse of a detainee carries a maximum fine of $250,000.
“Sexual abuse by anyone, especially someone entrusted with the custody and care of inmates, is an intolerable abuse of power,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “Today’s guilty plea makes clear that this former corrections employee betrayed public trust and violated the most basic standards of human dignity. Our office will continue to pursue every individual who abuses their position to commit acts of sexual violence against those in federal custody.”
Special Agent in Charge Loux echoed those sentiments, stating that inmates should never have to face abuse from staff. “The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General will continue to aggressively investigate allegations of sexual abuse by federal correctional employees and work with our partners to bring perpetrators to justice,” Loux said.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eaton P. Brown is handling the prosecution of the case. A sentencing date has not yet been announced.
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