The Shield Justice Watch team encourages all victims who suffered abuse while incarcerated at FCI Dublin to request a free, private case evaluation.

A federal prison in Dublin known as the 'Rape Club' for its culture of sexual assault and cover-ups is under heavy scrutiny.

For months, inmates and staff say, their calls for help were ignored.

And in this aging prison of deep despair — a place where sexual abuse has been rampant, authorities acted with utter indifference, and the workforce was deeply demoralized — the cries for help had been many and varied.

To date, federal prosecutors have filed criminal charges against five FCI Dublin employees, up to the warden, and a couple of dozen other employees have been reassigned.

The Bureau of Prisons and Department of Justice didn't return messages seeking comment on this story, but Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco previously said the government "is committed to holding Bureau of Prisons personnel accountable. Staff misconduct, at any level, will not be tolerated, and our efforts to root it out are far from over."

Throughout FCI Dublin's existence, it has been troubled by sexual abuse.

In 1996, three female inmates sued the Bureau of Prisons, alleging they were "sold like sex slaves" by correctional officers who placed them in a male unit, unlocked their cells, and allowed male inmates to rape them.

No one was arrested; the agency agreed to settle the lawsuit for $500,000.

Separately, in the late 1990s, four officers were charged with engaging in sexual conduct with inmates.

And in the early 2010s, about a dozen Dublin employees were quietly removed for sexually abusing inmates.

None was arrested, according to a person working there at the time.

One worker was allowed to retire after videotapes were found in his locker of him having sex with inmates.

Numerous complaints were filed by inmates and staff members alleging sexual harassment, misconduct, and violations of the Prison Rape Elimination Act and federal Equal Employment Opportunity laws.

Dublin Sex Assault Case Update 2024

The Bureau of Prisons will pay $115.8 million to 103 sexual assault survivors from FCI Dublin. This is the largest payout the BOP has ever made in the U.S. This settlement differs from a class-action lawsuit that ordered reforms for two years.

Jessica Pride, a lawyer representing the women, called it the largest settlement ever by the Department of Justice.

The first woman, identified as MR in court records, filed her lawsuit in September 2022. After that, the other women's cases were combined into one. U.S. District Court Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers oversaw the settlement and has handled related cases involving FCI Dublin for over two years.

The BOP acknowledged the settlement in a statement, saying it "strongly condemns all forms of sexually abusive behavior” and is committed to protecting those in its custody.

The agency added, “We are dedicated to rooting out criminal behavior and holding those accountable who break their oath of office… Beyond this, we have no further comment.”

Aimee Chavira, who has spoken with KTVU multiple times, was released three years early from her 10-year drug sentence. A judge granted her early release after considering the abuse she suffered at FCI Dublin.

She reported being abused by several officers, including Nicholas Ramos, who took his own life in 2022 while under investigation, and Darrell Wayne Smith, known as “Dirty Dick.” Smith faces 12 charges of sexual abuse and is awaiting trial.

A separate class-action lawsuit by the California Coalition of Women Prisoners led to a two-year consent decree. This decree will benefit about 500 women who were once at FCI Dublin and are now in 13 other prisons nationwide. The reforms include protections against being placed in solitary confinement for speaking out and access to mental and medical healthcare.

The BOP permanently closed FCI Dublin in April and confirmed the decision last month

We believe all victims of alleged abuse while incarcerated at the Dublin Federal Correctional Institute (FCI Dublin) in California should receive justice and potential compensation, beginning with a free, private case review with our experienced legal team.