A California prison plagued by so much sexual abuse it was dubbed ‘The Rape Club’ has been raided by the FBI – after housing high-profile inmates such as Full House’s Lori Loughlin and Desperate Housewives’ Felicity Huffman.
The operation, in which FBI agents hauled boxes of evidence from the Dublin facility on Monday, follows an investigation that put an ex-guard and others behind bars.
They were found guilty of sexually abusing inmates at FCI Dublin, a low-security federal prison for women only.
The public figures have so far not been named in any of the charges against the prison, which also housed Allison Mack, an actor on the Superman spinoff Smallville who was found to be a member of a sordid sex cult, for 11 days in 2019 .
The raid comes as several women have come forward in lawsuits against guards and staff, a number that has now reached at least 63. However, that number is now expected to exceed 100, lawyers said Tuesday – as former inmates continue to claim that they were forced by the staff to pose naked and have sex on video.
Art Dulgov was removed as warden of FCI Dublin following allegations that his staff retaliated against an inmate who testified in a trial against the prison in January.
FBI spokesman Cameron Polan confirmed that agents were there conducting “court-authorized law enforcement activity,” which includedmore than a dozen FBI agents were seen seizing computers, documents and other evidence, according to an anonymous source who spoke to the Associated Press.
The insider added how the federal agents also attempted to interview employees, but like Polan, did not provide other details.
A spokesman for the Bureau of Prisons further confirmed that Deputy Regional Director NT McKinney will now serve as the prison’s interim warden following the ouster of former warden Art Dulgov.
He was removed as warden on Monday, after holding the position for just three months.
His predecessor, Ray Garcia, and the facility’s chaplain were indicted on sexual assault charges against inmates in 2021 before being found guilty last year.
He is currently serving a 70-month prison sentence as his replacement now faces allegations that his staff retaliated against an inmate who testified against the prison in January as part of the case.
McKinney will replace Dulgov on an interim basis, effective immediately, prison brass said — revealing that an associate warden and prison captain working under Dulgov were also removed from their posts.
Also pulled was an executive assistant who oversaw the prison’s minimum-security satellite camp, government lawyers said after Monday’s search ended.
FBI agents hauled boxes of evidence from the facility Monday following an investigation that put a former warden and other employees behind bars for sexually abusing inmates
The prison, about 21 miles east of Oakland, has been dubbed the “rape club” because of years of widespread sexual abuse by staff and inmates.
More than a dozen FBI agents searched FCI Dublin, seizing computers, documents and other evidence and attempting to interview employees, an anonymous source told The Associated Press
Ray J Garcia, pictured, is serving a six-year sentence for sexually abusing three female inmates while working as a warden. He is pictured outside an Oakland court where he was found guilty in November. He was convicted of assaulting inmates and forcing them to pose naked
The move mirrors another move by the agency before the case came to light, placing Garcia on administrative leave following a July 2021 raid on his office and vehicle.
Monday’s search also marks a new twist in the saga — coming days after a new wave of civil lawsuits alleged more cases of abuse and retaliation.
It also comes as a federal judge is said to be considering appointing a special master to oversee the prison’s operations as claims continue to pile up.
As noted, Dulgov and staff are accused of retaliating against a specific inmate who testified in January after alleging that instances of “cruel abuse and exploitation” occurred at the NorCal prison,
Some of the abuse was even caught on camera, the inmates said — and claimed in the class action that staff forced them to pose naked and have sex while being filmed.
The inmate in question has since been transferred to another facility, records in the case show — a decision that comes despite a judge’s order not to transfer witnesses without court approval.
Meanwhile, a total of at least eight FCI Dublin staff have been accused of sexually abusing inmates, seven of whom have been found guilty.
Five pleaded guilty to a deal to get less prison time, while two – including Garcia – was convicted during the trial. Another case, which is being written, is still pending, as Dulgov remains unindicted.
Huffman — one of 33 parents accused of conspiring to put their children through college — served 11 days of a 14-day jail sentence at the NorCal facility
Loughlin – seen here outside a Boston court in April 2019 – served two months for the same scheme
Mack, who pleaded guilty to his role in a sex-trafficking case linked to the cult group NXIVM, was released in July two years into a three-year sentence
He was put in charge of the prison late last year following the retirement of former warden Thahesha Jusino, before vowing to rebuild broken trust when she took over in March 2022.
Her male replacement website lists accolades for corrections work such as the Bureau of Prisons’ Golden Apple Award and an award from California prosecutors in 2019 for helping implement the Trump administration’s ‘zero tolerance’ immigration policy.
He has also been a federal prison officer in Arizona.
The website also notes that Dulgov, who taught middle school before entering the corrections industry, has served as an equal employment opportunity consultant and regularly trained his staff on equal employment policies and procedures, civil rights and federal regulations.
Before Jusino, then-Deputy Regional Director T. Ray Hinkle served as interim warden — another short-lived stint, during which he promised staff he would help Dublin ‘regain its reputation.’
But his tenure was marred by allegations that he targeted whistleblowers who worked under him and clashed with a visiting congresswoman.
A 2021 AP investigation found a culture of abuse and cover-ups at the prison that had persisted for years, prompting increased scrutiny from Congress and promises from the Bureau of Prisons that it would fix the problems.
Last August, eight FCI Dublin prisoners sued the Bureau of Prisons, alleging the agency had failed to stamp out sexual abuse as promised.
In filing a class action lawsuit, Amaris Montes, an attorney for the plaintiffs, said the inmates continued to face retaliation after reporting the abuse, including being placed in solitary confinement and having her possessions confiscated.
Huffman — one of 33 parents accused of conspiring to get their children into college — served 11 days of a 14-day jail sentence at the NorCal facility, while Loughlin served two months for the same scheme.
Mack, who pleaded guilty to his role in a sex-trafficking case linked to the cult group NXIVM, was released in July two years into a three-year sentence.
The scandal has been one of many to plague the federal Bureau of Prisons, which has also been plagued by severe staff shortages, suicides and security breaches.
Last month, Dulgov – who has not been charged with any wrongdoing – took to his personal blog to write about the ‘symbiotic relationship between management and personal well-being’, two months after taking up the post of warden.
“Leadership is often associated with guiding others, making difficult decisions and achieving organizational goals,” he wrote on his personal blog.
‘However, an essential aspect of effective leadership that is sometimes overlooked is the profound impact it can have on personal well-being. The relationship between leadership and personal well-being is symbiotic, with each influencing and complementing the other in profound ways.’