A former security guard at a Washington state juvenile detention center groomed an inmate for sex and made him record their dates in the bathroom, court documents show, amid a wave of staff arrests at the troubled facility. detention center.
Michelle Goodman, 31, of Centralia, was charged with two sex crimes Thursday stemming from alleged encounters at Green Hill School in Chehalis, a state juvenile facility that houses older male youth and young adults.
She was seen on surveillance video heading to a staff locker area at the facility with the 23-year-old inmate on two separate occasions in January 2024, prosecutors said.
The inmate’s attorney shared screenshots with investigators that clearly show Goodman’s face and show her engaging in sexual acts with the younger man.
Michelle Goodman, 31, was charged with two sex crimes Thursday stemming from alleged encounters at a juvenile facility in Washington.
Goodman, a former security guard at the facility, is accused of grooming a 23-year-old inmate for sex and having him record their encounters.
Goodman was seen on surveillance video heading to a staff locker area at the facility along with the 23-year-old inmate on two separate occasions in January 2024.
The screenshots also showed Goodman wearing three different outfits, indicating that the sexual acts occurred on at least three separate occasions, and the background seen in the images matched an employee’s bathroom at the facility.
The inmate is suing Green Hill School, alleging that Goodman ‘used his position of power to force the inmate to continue having a sexual relationship.’ KOMO News reported.
The lawsuit alleges that “Goodman repeatedly wanted to be filmed performing oral sex and having sexual intercourse.”
Goodman was arrested Wednesday. The chronicle reported.
His bail was set at $100,000 following a preliminary hearing Thursday on charges of in-custody misconduct. His arraignment is scheduled for next week.
This is the second time Goodman has been arrested this year for her alleged actions at the facility.
In March, she was arrested for allegedly “turning a blind eye” while two teenage inmates attacked each other. It was later revealed that she was the one who allegedly started the fight.
Screenshots provided by the inmate’s attorney allegedly show Goodman engaging in sexual acts with the younger man.
The inmate is suing Green Hill School, alleging that Goodman “used his position of power to force the inmate to continue having a sexual relationship.”
Goodman was caught on camera laughing with inmates as they imitated punches thrown at a teenage inmate, all while she was on duty as a guard. Fox 13 Seattle reported.
The inmate survived the attack but was seriously injured.
A former school nurse told investigators that if a psychiatrist had not intervened to transfer the inmate after the fight, “they would have killed him if he stayed in that wing.”
The incident occurred in January, the same month Goodman is accused of having sexual relations with the 23-year-old.
He faced one count of prison riot, abuse of office and fourth-degree conspiracy to commit assault as a result of the fight.
In March, she was arrested for allegedly “turning a blind eye” as two teenage inmates brutally attacked each other. It was later revealed that she started the fight.
He faced one count of prison riot, abuse of office and fourth-degree conspiracy to commit assault stemming from the fight after the inmate was seriously injured.
Goodman was captured on camera laughing with inmates as they imitated punches thrown at a teenage inmate, all while she was on duty guarding the facility.
Goodman was released on $20,000 bail after a judge granted her unsecured bail due to her lack of criminal history.
She was set to plead guilty and be sentenced later this month in that case, but withdrew her plea due to the 23-year-old inmate’s lawsuit, The Chronicle reported.
The Chehalis Police Department stated that “this is the fifth person employed by Green Hill that we arrested in 2024, three of whom engaged in sexual misconduct.”
The five detained employees were employed as correctional staff at the time the crimes occurred.
The facility provides inmates with a “safe, structured and protected environment where youth can learn new skills, develop positive habits and disconnect from the activities that brought them here,” according to its website.
