Former prisoners file federal lawsuit against Butler County prison, county
Two former Butler County Prison inmates have filed a federal lawsuit against the county prison, the county government and the food service company that employed the man they claim sexually assaulted them.
The lawsuit, which was filed on Friday in the Western District Court of Pennsylvania, is seeking damages for the deprivation of constitutional rights of two inmates, listed as John M.H. Doe and John B.G. Doe.
Listed as defendants in the lawsuit are Luis Quinones, who is currently facing criminal charges in Butler County Court in relation to this matter; Trinity Services Group, of Oldsmar, Fla., which serves as the food service group at the Butler County Prison; the prison, administration and several corrections officers; Butler County; and the county commissioners.
The lawsuit alleges that the two men — who were held in the prison on “low-level offenses” between January and April 2016 — were subjected to sexual assault perpetrated by Quinones.
Defendant Quinones was working in the prison as a food service worker with Trinity Services Group.
Both inmates, of Butler, were working on the kitchen staff at the time of the alleged offenses, and they reported the incidents, but no action was taken, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit further claimed that following the report of these incidents, the men faced ridicule by both prison staff and other inmates.
Their attorney, Michael Pisanchyn Jr., of The Pisanchyn Law Firm in Pittsburgh, said the two men are not minors, but were listed as “John Doe” because verification in public documents would only serve to humiliate them further.
The lawsuit is seeking monetary damages, but no figure was attached to the demand.
Officials with Butler County, including the prison and county commissioners, declined to comment on the pending litigation.
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