Former Bureau of Prisons Chaplain Pleads Guilty to Sexual Assault and Lying to Federal Agents

On February 23, 2022, a BOP chaplain assigned to the Federal Correctional Institution in Dublin, California, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual abuse of a ward, two counts of abusive sexual contact, and one count of false statements.  James T. Highhouse pleaded guilty in the Northern District of California.  According to the factual statement in support of the guilty plea, from on or about May 15, 2018, through on or about February 9, 2019, Highhouse engaged in multiple sexual acts and sexual contact with an inmate he was counseling, despite receiving training on maintaining boundaries with inmates and attending yearly refreshers on sexual abuse and prevention.  Additionally, on or about February 21, 2019, and on or about February 3, 2020, Highhouse made false statements to OIG and FBI agents during two separate voluntary interviews, by denying that he engaged in sexual acts and sexual contact with the inmate.  The investigation is being conducted by the OIG’s Los Angeles Field Office and the FBI.