Female inmates accuse sheriff of cover-up

June 25, 2009 08:11 pm

— TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Four former Delaware County female inmates have filed a civil lawsuit accusing the county sheriff of covering up sexual crimes the women claim were committed by jailers and a reserve deputy.

The suit was filed Wednesday in federal court in Tulsa.

Three of the women claim the former reserve deputy sexually assaulted them in 2008. Another claimed jailers would provide cigarettes and candy to female inmates who flashed their breasts.

They allege in the suit that Sheriff Jay Blackfox didn't properly train his jailers and that he was indifferent to their complaints.

Blackfox told The Oklahoman the reserve deputy was let go after the complaints surfaced and that an investigation into the allegations was turned over to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.