At women's prison near Ocala, man tasked with helping inmates is charged with sexual battery.
Editor's note: This story was updated at 11:30 a.m. on Feb. 14 to include information from the first court appearance and at 5:15 p.m. to include a statement from Operation New Hope.
An employee of an organization that helps inmates ease back into society after spending time behind bars has been arrested on charges of sexual battery and sexual conduct by a correctional official. The victim was an inmate at the Florida Women's Reception Center, which is a state prison facility in northwest Marion County.
Christopher Gajuan Simmons, who's from Jacksonville, made his first court appearance in front of County Judge Lori Cotton on Tuesday via Zoom from the Marion County Jail.
Simmons told the judge he's trying to hire a lawyer and asked the judge if she could postponed his hearing until Wednesday. The judge granted his wish and the handcuffed Simmons was led away from the podium.
Until his hearing, the 32-year-old Jacksonville man was held without bail.
First appearance
Yves Pierre-Antoine, a Gainesville lawyer, represented Simmons in court on Wednesday. Simmons, wearing a yellow jail uniform and handcuffs, was present via Zoom from an empty courtroom at the county jail.
Pierre-Antoine told the judge his client has no criminal history, is not a flight risk, and has strong family support. The lawyer said although he knows the charges against Simmons are serious, he doesn't think the victim is in danger.
Simmons' mother was in court and sat close to the front.
Before setting bail, the judge told Simmons and his lawyer he cannot return to his job nor have any contact with anyone at his job. He's not allowed to have contact with the Department of Corrections or anything related to the DOC or parole and probation.
Bail was set at $30,000. Simmons' next court date is set for mid-March.
Operation New Hope
Simmons' arrest record show he's an employee at Operation New Hope, an organization that helps inmates transition back into society after spending time behind bars.
Reggie Fullwood, the president and CEO of Operation New Hope, sent this statement in an email to a Star-Banner reporter. It states: "Operation New Hope (ONH) is aware of the charges against Christopher Simmons, and we are working in full cooperation with investigators and the Florida Department of Corrections."
The letter continues: "At ONH, we are committed to being honest, respectful, and forthright in our actions, adhering to the highest ethical standards. The alleged behavior contradicts the professional and ethical principles practiced at ONH and is in violation of the Standard of Conduct outlined in our Employee Handbook. Mr. Simmons’ employment has been terminated."
Fullwood adds: "We have worked with the correctional system for over 20 years without incident. Our staff has worked within prisons and jails around the state and holds only the highest standard of conduct for our employees. We will continue to honor those ideals as we work tirelessly for our clients."
The letter ends with, "This is an open investigation, and we cannot provide any additional information."
Arrest report
According to a report from Inspector Kevin Lingis, an investigator with the Office of the Inspector General for the Florida Department of Corrections, the case started in September, when a supervisor at the Florida Women's Reception Center noticed a closed conference room door.
The supervisor knocked on the door but got no response. Opening the door, the supervisor saw Simmons and a female inmate inside. Simmons was fixing his pants, the report notes.
Simmons quickly left the room and the center and was unavailable for an interview, officials said.
Lingis spoke with the inmate. She told him she had an appointment with Simmons that day. She said he grabbed her hair and forced her on her knees for oral sex. She said the supervisor entered the room and she stopped.
A DNA sample from the inmate was collected by officials.
Lingis interviewed the supervisor. He said he entered the room that day because it was unusual for the door to be closed. The man said when he entered the room, Simmons' back was turned to him.
The investigator wanted to see if there were any contacts between the woman and Simmons, but found none.
In early October, Lingis went to Simmons' jobsite in Jacksonville to interview him. Simmons declined to be interviewed, but did give a DNA sample.
Last month, the report states, the DNA samples from Simmons and the inmate were tested. The physical evidence supported what the inmate had reported.
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A warrant for Simmons' arrest was prepared and Simmons was taken into custody.
Contact Austin L. Miller at austin.miller@starbanner.com
This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Man accused of sexual battery of female state prison inmate
