In shocking news, Marquet Johnson, a former private prisoner transport officer, has pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting three female pretrial detainees during prisoner transports in 2019. The U.S. Department of Justice has confirmed that Johnson raped two of the women and forced another to perform oral sex.

According to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice, Johnson now faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, followed by up to five years of supervised release. Additionally, he will be required to pay damages to the victims.

U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez for the District of New Mexico expressed his disdain for Johnson's actions in a press release, stating, "Nobody, no matter the crime of which they are being accused, deserves to be raped. When jailers fail their duty to those in their charge, they will join them in custody."

The first victim was a female pretrial detainee who was being transported from a jail in Santa Fe, New Mexico, to Colorado in November 2019. During a gas station stop while Johnson's transport partner was away, he removed the victim's ankle restraints, threatened her with a weapon, and sexually assaulted her.

Johnson's second victim was assaulted in July 2019 when she was being transported from Spencer, Indiana, to San Marcos, Texas. Johnson forced the non-consenting detainee to perform oral sex on him during a stop at the ISC headquarters in West Memphis, Arkansas.

The third victim, a woman being transported from Baker County, Oregon, to Warrensburg, Missouri, in August 2019, was raped by Johnson while the transport van stopped at a hotel. She was later forced to perform oral sex as well.

Johnson was employed at Inmate Services Corporation (ISC) at the time of the assaults. It is noteworthy that ISC settled a class-action lawsuit for $625,000 in September, which alleged that the company subjected inmates to "cruel and unusual" conditions during prison transports.

This is not the first such incident involving ISC. In November of the previous year, Rogeric Hankins pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a female detainee while working for the company.

The District Attorney of New Mexico is handling Johnson's case, with support from the U.S. Attorneys' Offices for the Eastern District of Arkansas and Western District of Missouri.

The victims and their representatives expressed their relief that Johnson will be held accountable for his actions and expressed hope that this would prevent future incidents of sexual assault within the prison transport system.

As the legal proceedings continue, it is crucial to remember the importance of ensuring the safety and well-being of all individuals, regardless of their circumstances, while in the custody of law enforcement personnel.

This highly distressing case shines a light on the need for greater oversight and accountability within private prisoner transport services to ensure that detainees are protected from harm and abuse.