The USMS is responsible for ensuring the safe and secure conduct of judicial proceedings; protecting more than 2,000 federal judges and approximately 5,250 other court officials at more than 400 court facilities while providing security systems at over 800 facilities; arresting federal, state, and local fugitives; protecting federal witnesses; transporting federal prisoners; managing assets seized from criminal enterprises; and responding to major national events, terrorism, and significant high-threat trials. The Director and Deputy Director work with 94 U.S. Marshals to direct the work of approximately 4,900 employees at more than 350 locations throughout the 50 states, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Mexico, Jamaica, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic.

Investigations

During this reporting period, the OIG received 202 complaints involving the USMS. The most common allegations made against USMS employees included job performance failure; force, abuse, and rights violations; and official misconduct. The OIG opened six investigations and referred one allegation to the USMS’s Office of Internal Affairs for review. The majority of the complaints were considered management issues and were provided to the USMS for its review and appropriate action.

At the close of the reporting period, the OIG had 20 open cases of alleged misconduct against USMS employees. The following is an example of a case involving the USMS that the OIG’s Investigations Division handled during this reporting period:

• An investigation by the OIG’s Boston Area Office resulted in the arrest and guilty plea of a USMS contract medical technician assigned to the Wyatt Detention Center in Central Falls, Rhode Island, on charges of making false statements. The Wyatt Detention Center operates under contract to the USMS to house federal pre-trial and pre-sentence detainees. OIG investigators determined that the USMS contract employee engaged in sexual relations with a detainee at the Detention Center on multiple occasions and lied about the relationship when interviewed by the OIG. The investigation also revealed that the USMS contract employee provided controlled medications to multiple detainees and provided fraudulent documents claiming that he was a certified medical technician. The contract employee resigned from his position as a result of our investigation. Judicial proceedings continue.

Ongoing Work

The USMS’s Oversight of Courthouse Security

The OIG is assessing the USMS’s oversight of federal courthouse security. We are examining the USMS’s use of contract court security officers and screening, monitoring, and explosives detecting equipment to secure federal court facilities.