Bureau of Prisons to pay $116M to more than 100 FCI Dublin sex assault survivors

OAKLAND, Calif. - The Bureau of Prisons on Tuesday agreed to pay $115.8 million to 103 women who alleged they were sexually assaulted at the now-closed FCI Dublin all-women's prison.

This is the largest settlement ever paid by the Department of Justice to incarcerated women, according to one of the women's lawyers, Jessica Pride, 

"This historic settlement sends a powerful message," Pride said. "Systematic abuse of prisoners will not be tolerated. This has been years in the making. Today just feels like a surreal day." 

Pride said if she had her way, the amount would be "ten times as much," because there is really "no amount that you can place on what a survivor goes through in being sexually assaulted." 

Pride said the lowest amount to be distributed will be $500,000 and the highest amount will be $1.6 million. 

All but 10 or 11 of the plaintiffs are now out of prison, Pride said. 

Darlene Baker, who now lives in Seattle and said she was violently sexually assaulted by a medical officer at FCI Dublin, said she never thought this day would occur.

"I'm shocked," Baker said in an interview. 

She said she plans to pay off bills, her restitution, get counseling and even start a nonprofit for sexual assault survivors with the money. She didn't want to state specifically how much she'll be receiving, but hinted it's somewhere near $1 million. 

Two retired judges, Gayle Andler and Rhoda Trapp, interviewed each of the women to determine how much she should get. The monetary amount was based on the type of trauma the woman suffered, how many times she suffered abuse and her past sexual abuse trauma, Pride said.

"Christmas has come early," Pride said, adding that her clients were overjoyed and grateful with the money, which they can now use to get therapy and go back to school, if they want. 

One woman, named MR in court documents, first filed her suit in September 2022. Since then, the other women's cases were consolidated into this one, and the settlement was overseen by U.S. District Court Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, who has presided over all criminal and civil matters related to FCI Dublin for more than two years. 

In an emailed statement, the BOP acknowledged the settlement, adding that the agency "strongly condemns all forms of sexually abusive behavior and takes seriously its duty to protect the individuals in our custody as well as maintain the safety of our employees and community."

The BOP added that the agency remains "committed to rooting out criminal behavior and holding accountable those who violate their oath of office….Beyond this, we have nothing additional to provide."

Individual women sued the BOP over the abuse they said they endured at FCI Dublin, where seven officers, including the warden, have been sent to prison for sexually abusing women in their car. 

One of those women was Aimee Chavira of San Diego County. 

"We were sentenced to prison, we were not sentenced to be assaulted and abused," Chavira said.

She said that she hopes the settlement money will help survivors like herself begin to heal.  

Chavira, whom KTVU has interviewed on several occasions, was released three years early from FCI Dublin on compassionate release. A federal judge ruled that her 10-year drug sentenced be reduced after she was convinced Chavira had served enough time and had been the victim of abuse.

Chavira said several correctional officers abused her at FCI Dublin, including Nicholas Ramos, who died by suicide in 2022 after being placed on leave amidst an internal investigation into his behavior, and Darrell Wayne Smith, aka "Dirty Dick," who was charged by the Department of Justice with 12 counts of sexual abuse. 

He is the eighth remaining correctional officer at FCI Dublin to be charged and is taking his case to trial. 

A separate class-action lawsuit, called the California Coalition of Women Prisoners, also prompted an unprecedented, tentative two-year consent-decree over the BOP, where roughly 500 women who used to be housed at FCI Dublin – and who are now at 13 other prisons across the country – will likely be the beneficiaries of court-ordered reforms. 

Gonzalez Rogers said she was leaning toward approving the consent decree if the two sides could hammer out some details – including paying special master Wendy Still in a timely manner – at a separate court hearing on Monday regarding the class action case. 

Susan Beaty is one of the attorneys who sued the BOP over these reforms, which include not being placed into solitary confinement as a form of retaliation for speaking out and being given adequate mental and medical healthcare services. 

Beaty said that this money is a "huge victory" for all the women who were so brave to speak out.

"But money will not free survivors from prison, and it will not bring back survivors who were deported, and it will not prevent future prison staff sexual abuse," Beaty said. "The fight is far from over and survivors and advocates will continue to call for real, systemic changes." 

The BOP closed the prison in April and made it a permanent decision last month. 

 Lisa Fernandez is a reporter for KTVU. Email Lisa at lisa.fernandez@fox.com or call her at 510-874-0139. Or follow her on Bluesky @ljfernandez