Skip to content 
Image: Official seal of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, U.S. Department of Justice, by the U.S. Federal Government and Pbroks13 – Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
A former federal prison officer who had the authority to punish incarcerated women has pleaded guilty to sexually abusing two of them at FCI Dublin, the now-closed California women’s prison at the center of a years-long sexual abuse scandal, the San Mateo Daily Journal reported.
David Perez entered his guilty plea on Wednesday, admitting that he sexually abused women under his supervision and lied to federal investigators about his conduct.
Perez is the tenth correctional officer to plead guilty or be convicted in the federal investigation. According to the Department of Justice, 11 officers have been criminally charged in connection with sexual abuse at the facility.
His case offers another example of how prison employees exploited their positions of authority over women who had little ability to challenge their conduct.
How Perez Used His Disciplinary Authority
Perez worked for the Federal Bureau of Prisons from 1994 until 2019. During his final five years, he served as a discipline hearing officer at FCI Dublin.
That position gave him significant power over incarcerated women. He could determine whether a prisoner had violated institutional rules and impose punishments, including placement in restrictive housing and loss of credits toward early release.
According to his plea agreement, Perez used that authority to gain access to women he had previously disciplined.
Between 2015 and 2016, he repeatedly met alone with one woman and subjected her to unwanted sexual contact.
He also abused a second woman after imposing disciplinary sanctions against her. During their encounters, Perez invoked his authority over her sentence, telling her he could influence how much time she remained incarcerated.
The misconduct occurred in areas of the prison where Perez was able to meet privately with the women.
When investigators questioned him in October 2024, Perez falsely claimed that his only physical contact with female prisoners occurred while escorting them to disciplinary hearings.
He has now admitted that statement was untrue.
Sexual Abuse Lawsuits in California
Survivors of sexual abuse in prisons, detention facilities and other institutions may have legal options beyond criminal prosecution. Depending on the circumstances, civil claims may involve correctional employees, government agencies or other responsible parties.
Learn more about filing deadlines, institutional accountability and requesting a confidential case review in our California Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Guide.
A Prison Scandal That Reached the Warden’s Office
FCI Dublin, located in the San Francisco Bay Area, became the focus of federal investigations after women reported widespread sexual abuse, retaliation and failures by prison administrators to protect them.
The investigation exposed misconduct involving correctional officers, a prison chaplain and the facility’s former warden.
Former warden Ray Garcia was convicted in December 2022 and subsequently sentenced to 70 months in federal prison for sexually abusing incarcerated women.
Other employees received prison sentences ranging from 20 months to eight years, while two defendants received home confinement.
One officer’s criminal charges were dismissed in December 2025 after two trials ended with juries unable to reach unanimous verdicts.
The prison closed in 2024, but criminal investigations and civil litigation involving the facility have continued.
Federal Government Agreed to Nearly $116 Million Settlement
The criminal prosecutions represent only one part of the legal response to the abuse at FCI Dublin.
In December 2024, the federal government agreed to pay $115.8 million to resolve civil claims brought by 103 current and former incarcerated women who reported sexual abuse or mistreatment at the prison.
The settlement was among the largest involving sexual abuse allegations in the federal prison system.
Separate civil litigation also resulted in a court-supervised agreement designed to protect former Dublin prisoners after they were transferred to other facilities.
The agreement established independent monitoring and measures addressing retaliation, access to medical care, disciplinary practices and other conditions affecting survivors.
The financial settlement and monitoring requirements reflected concerns extending beyond individual employees to the Bureau of Prisons’ responsibility for maintaining safe conditions and responding to abuse allegations.
Sentencing Scheduled for March 2027
Perez is scheduled to be sentenced March 25, 2027, before U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in Oakland.
He faces a maximum statutory sentence of 15 years for sexual abuse of a ward, along with additional potential penalties for abusive sexual contact and making false statements to federal investigators.
The final sentence will depend on federal sentencing guidelines and the court’s consideration of the circumstances.
Related:
Two More FCI Dublin Correctional Officers Charged With Sexual Abuse, Bringing Total to 10
FCI Dublin: “The Rape Club” Prison’s Timeline of Abuse
Former FCI Dublin Inmates Secure Historic $115 Million Settlement From BoP
