A grand jury has indicted a former Tallahassee corrections worker on charges of sexually abusing inmates at the Federal Correctional Institution in Tallahassee.
The federal grand jury has issued a three-count indictment charging Jimmy Lee Highsmith with sexual abuse of a ward. In a statement from U.S. district attorney Lawrence Keefe’s office, officials say Highsmith is accused of sexually abusing three inmates between March 2014 and September 2018.
“The public places its trust in sworn law enforcement and correctional officers that they will represent the finest in our society, not the worst. Sadly, the charges contained in this indictment reflect the worst – an individual allegedly taking advantage of his position of trust to inflict harm on those under his care,” Keefe said in the statement.
If convicted, Highsmith could face up to 15 years in federal prison and a maximum $250,000 fine, per count.
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