What to Know
- A former correctional officer at the Metropolitan Correctional Center was sentenced to 40 months in prison for engaging in abusive sexual contact with an inmate, according to federal prosecutors.
- Colin Akparanta, 44 and of Irvington, New Jersey, was sentenced to 40 months in prison for engaging in abusive sexual contact an inmate at MCC, which houses federal prisoners in Manhattan. He will also have to serve two years of supervised release.
- In connection with his guilty plea, Akparanta also admitted that he engaged in abusive sexual contact with six additional victims, and engaged in sexual acts with all seven of the victims.
A former correctional officer at Manhattan's Metropolitan Correctional Center was sentenced to 40 months in prison for engaging in abusive sexual contact with an inmate, according to federal prosecutors.
Colin Akparanta, 44 and of Irvington, New Jersey, was sentenced to 40 months in prison for engaging in abusive sexual contact an inmate at MCC, which houses federal prisoners in Manhattan, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York Audrey Strauss announced Tuesday. Aside from the prison term, Akparanta will also have to serve two years of supervised release.
Akparanta previously pled guilty to to one count of abusive sexual contact of an inmate and one count of deprivation of the constitutional rights of that inmate. According to Strauss, in connection with the plea, Akparanta also admitted that he engaged in abusive sexual contact with six additional victims, and engaged in sexual acts with all seven of the victims.
According to the prosecutors, citing court documents, Akparanta was employed as a correctional officer at MCC starting in 2004. Between 2012 and April 2018, he allegedly used his official position to engage in sexual acts and contact with at least seven female inmates while they were under his "custodial, supervisory, and disciplinary authority." Prosecutors say, among other actions, he digitally penetrated them, touched their breasts, buttocks and genitalia. Akparanta also had some of his victims touch him over his pants.
Court documents say, that aside from the unacceptable sexual contact, Akparanta "smuggled contraband, including, but not limited to, personal hygiene items, makeup, and food into the MCC for some of the victims, and, with respect to at least one of the victims, explicitly conditioned his provision of contraband on the inmate’s continued performance of sexual acts with him."
He also asked the victims for their contact information in order to reach them after their release.
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“Colin Akparanta repeatedly abused his position of authority as a correctional officer at the MCC by sexually abusing inmates whose safety and security he was duty-bound to protect," Strauss said. "Today’s sentence should send a strong message that correctional officers who abuse their authority and commit crimes will be held to account."
