Prison Guard Sentenced For Sexual Relationship Says She 'Stumbled Upon Inmate Cleaning Her Carpet'

SEAGOVILLE (CBSDFW.COM) - A federal corrections officer was sentenced Monday to more than a year behind bars – the same environment where she allegedly took advantage of a prison inmate less than two years ago.

Erica McCoy, 32, pleaded guilty in August to abusive sexual contact with an inmate at FCI Seagoville, an all-male, low-security institution southeast of Dallas .

In plea papers, McCoy said she stumbled upon the inmate – identified only by his initials, D.E. – cleaning her office carpet in the summer of 2017. They had regular sexual contact, McCoy admitted.

Their relationship ended when D.E. was placed into the Special Housing Unit (SHU) and McCoy resigned amid an investigation by the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General.

"Today's sentence demonstrates that corruption and abuse of power have no place in our federal prisons and will not be tolerated," stated Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Elise Chawaga. "Our office takes allegations of sexual contact between correctional officers and inmates seriously, and we thank the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Texas for their hard work on this case."

A federal judge sentenced McCoy to one year and one day in federal prison and ordered her to self-surrender within 90 days. She will also be required to register as a sex offender.