By Theresa Vargas
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, August 15, 2007

A female corrections officer who worked for almost two decades at the Prince William County jail is behind bars on charges that she had a sexual relationship with a male inmate on house arrest, authorities said yesterday.

Maria C. Torres-Corbin, 48, a master jail officer, was charged Friday with carnal knowledge of an inmate, a felony, Prince William police said. The charge carries a punishment of up to five years in jail.

Police said there was no indication of force.

"The investigation revealed the sex was consensual. However, the custodial relationship is what makes it a felony," Police Chief Charlie T. Deane said.

Authorities said Torres-Corbin met the inmate at his Manassas home, where he was on electronic monitoring, which limited him to leaving the house for work only. Torres-Corbin had worked for the jail about 18 years and was most recently assigned to the work release center, where her duties included checking on inmates in the electronic incarceration program, officials said. She was off duty when the incidents that led to her arrest took place, they said.

Jail Superintendent Charles "Skip" Land called the situation "gut-wrenching" yesterday and said anyone who violates the law should be held accountable.

"Nobody is above the law, especially a person carrying a badge," he said. "A victim is a victim. It doesn't mean just because you're an inmate, you can't be a victim of something."

His office first received information about possible misconduct by Torres-Corbin last week, he said. When the internal investigation revealed that her actions could be criminal, he said, police were contacted.

When she was arrested Friday, Torres-Corbin resigned, Land said. Her record gave "no indication that anything like this has gone on in the past," he said.

For safety and precautionary reasons, Torres-Corbin was taken to a jail in another jurisdiction. She was being held without bond and is scheduled to appear in court Oct. 4.

Reached by phone at home, her husband, James Corbin, who is a supervisor at the jail, said he had "no comment if it's about my wife."

Police said the investigation is continuing.

Land said jail officials will spend the next several weeks conducting an internal review of procedures. He said his staff will cooperate fully with police to uncover what happened.

"That means no locks unturned," he said.

Staff researcher Meg Smith contributed to this report.