Pleasanton man is latest guard charged with sex crimes at Dublin federal prison - Pleasanton Weekly

A correctional officer from Pleasanton faces a felony count of sexual abuse of a prisoner at the Federal Correctional Institute Dublin, becoming the latest official charged with sex crimes against inmates at the all-female prison.

In announcing the unsealed criminal complaint on Friday, federal prosecutors alleged FCI Dublin safety administrator John Russell Bellhouse engaged in sexual acts with an inmate -- to the point he referred to the woman as his "girlfriend" -- even though he knew sexual, financial or social relationships with inmates in his ward are prohibited.

Bellhouse, 39, made his first court appearance on Friday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. It was not immediately clear whether he is represented by an attorney yet.

He becomes the third FCI Dublin official charged by the U.S. Attorney's Office since this summer for alleged sexual crimes at the prison, including warden Ray J. Garcia in September and guard Ross Klinger in June.

The complaint alleges Bellhouse last year "began to express an interest in" a woman incarcerated at the low-security federal prison for female inmates in Dublin.

He allegedly engaged in sexual touching with the inmate and then oral sex on two occasions, including one incident in the prison's safety office. In at least one of the encounters, another inmate was enlisted to serve as a lookout, prosecutors said.

Bellhouse is also accused of giving the inmate earrings as a present and allowing her to use an office telephone, which prosecutors allege were benefits he provided to the inmate whom he started calling his "girlfriend".

Prosecutors said Bellhouse was placed on administrative leave in March due to the allegations, and the resulting investigation led to a criminal complaint filed on Nov. 29 and unsealed on Friday.

Bellhouse faces up to 15 years in prison for the single count of sexual abuse of a prison ward. His next court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 10 at 1 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Donna M. Ryu in Oakland.

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