Former Clinton County Correctional Inmate Files Suit Claiming Sexual Misconduct

WILLIAMSPORT — A former inmate at the Clinton County Correctional Facility has filed a federal court suit claiming she was the victim of sexual misconduct while imprisoned at the Wayne Township facility.

Jada Ferguson of Williamsport filed the suit in U.S. Middle District Court earlier this week. She alleges she was assaulted by correctional officer Chance Davy two years ago. Her suit says she was victimized in two separate bathroom incidents because she was an exotic dancer.

The suit asks for unspecified compensatory and punitive damages, claiming cruel and unusual punishment, failure to properly train and supervise guards and assault and battery.

Ferguson claims the accused sexually harassed her because of her dance background. The suit alleges Davy forced her to perform oral sex while she was cleaning a bathroom in November of 2015. A week later, it is alleged, the same officer unbuttoned her jump suit and digitally penetrated her.

The suit said she filed complaints about the incidents and was placed in segregation, not allowed to speak with a counselor and was subsequently transferred to the Centre County Prison. The suit says to the best of her knowledge, the correctional officer was not disciplined.

CCCF warden John Rowley told pennlive.com that state police investigate all prison sexual misconduct claims. As he is named as a defendant, along with the correctional officer and the correctional facility itself, Rowley said he was unable to say anything more.

It is understood that the officer in question subsequently left the prison for employment elsewhere. Records show Ferguson was an inmate in Clinton County from October of 2015 to April 2016 and that she had been convicted on drug and theft charges in both Clinton and Lycoming Counties.