A 39-year-old former prison nurse in Oregon is facing a lengthy prison sentence for the sexual assault of nine female inmates while working for the state's department of corrections.
Tony Daniel Klein, the former nurse, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison by U.S. District Court Judge Michael H. Simon, along with an additional five years of supervised release for his gross misuse of power and authority.
In July, a federal jury found Klein guilty on 17 counts of violating the constitutional right of his victims not to be subjected to cruel and unusual punishment through sexual assault, as well as four counts of perjury.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division emphasized the significance of this sentence, stating that it sends a strong message to officials working in jails and prisons nationwide, including those in medical care roles, that they will be held accountable for sexually assaulting inmates under their custody.
Klein worked as a nurse at the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility in Wilsonville, Oregon, where his role involved interacting with inmates seeking medical treatment and working with inmates in the prison's medical unit as orderlies.
Using his access and authority, Klein sexually assaulted or engaged in nonconsensual sexual conduct with many female inmates who had placed their trust in him. Most of the assaults occurred while he was alone with the victims before, during, or after medical treatment.
Klein was known to create opportunities to be alone with the inmates in secluded areas like janitor's closets, medical rooms, or spaces hidden behind medical curtains, where he would commit these sexual offenses.
He also used his position to intimidate and manipulate his victims, making them believe they wouldn't be believed if they reported the abuse and threatening them with retaliatory punishment if they dared to speak out.
The four counts of perjury stemmed from Klein's false testimony during a 2019 deposition related to a federal lawsuit filed by the victims he had assaulted while working at the prison.
This prison sentence may not undo the trauma inflicted on Klein's victims, but it represents a step toward healing for them. It acknowledges the courage of the women who came forward to ensure that Klein was held accountable for his actions within the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility.
Klein faced a maximum possible sentence of life in prison.
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