Ex-Inmates Say Guard Sex Abuse Rampant

In this photo released by the Wakulla County Sheriff's Department Alfred Barnes is shown. Barnes is one of five federal prison guards indicted by a grand jury Tuesday, June 20, 2006, of having sexual contact with eight inmates from September 2003 through September 2005 in exchange for contraband. The sixth guard was accused of participating in other aspects of the alleged conspiracy. Corrections officer Ralph Hill, an Air Force veteran, opened fire killing Justice Department special agent William "Buddy" Sentner Wednesday morning as FBI agents and Justice Department investigators arrived to arrest the guards, officials and his attorney said. Hill died in the exchange of gunfire and another officer helping officials was wounded. (AP Photo/Wakulla County Sheriff's Department) (AP)

"There is no such thing as consensual sex with an inmate," Guthrie said Thursday. "It's rape. And it's still going on."

In the Tallahassee case, in addition to bribing the inmates for sex, the guards were accused of threatening to plant contraband in their belongings or have them shipped to another facility farther from friends and families if they reported the illegal activity.

"Sometimes an allegation doesn't mean that person is guilty," said Mike Marrett, assistant director of corrections for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which represents 63,000 corrections officers nationally.

The surviving five Tallahassee guards have all pleaded not guilty.

Turner, who now lives in Rome, Ga., said she knew all of the indicted guards.

"One is known as "the Rev," she said. "He's a minister away from the prison. He was very, very bad. He'd pretend to be ministering with the girls."

She said she is still troubled by what happened while she was imprisoned.

"You don't get over a place like Tallahassee overnight," Turner said. "It's not doing the time, but it's what happens to you when you're there trying to do the time."