Post-Bulletin, Rochester, Minn.
WASHINGTON— An Iowa woman was sentenced to six months in prison after having a romantic relationship with an inmate while she worked as a nurse at the Federal Medical Center in Rochester.
Jessica Lynn Larson, 38, was sentenced on Tuesday, Jan. 20, in U.S. District Court to six months in prison followed by a year of supervised release for one count of making false statements to law enforcement, according to the Minnesota U.S. Attorney’s Office. A charge of abusive sexual contact with a prisoner was dismissed as part of a plea deal.
In 2024, while working as a nurse at FMC Rochester, Larson had a “compromising sexual relationship with an inmate,” according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Larson and the inmate exchanged sexually explicit love letters in which they professed their love for one another and discussed various sexual acts.
On April 3, 2024, Larson had a sexual encounter in the showers with the inmate. According to the indictment, Larson inappropriately touched the man, who was in official detention, “and under custodial, supervisory and disciplinary authority” of her. Other nursing staff reported their relationship shortly after.
After being confronted about their relationship, Larson submitted a Bureau of Prisons incident report, falsely accusing the inmate of sexual assault and claiming he threatened to hurt her children if she refused his sexual advances, the indictment said.
Months after being placed on administrative leave, Larson drove from her home in Iowa to Cincinnati, Ohio , to mail a love letter to the inmate, who had been moved to another facility.
“The DOJ-OIG’s commitment to rooting out inappropriate relationships within correctional facilities is paramount. Such misconduct frequently facilitates contraband smuggling and bribery, directly compromising the safety of both staff and inmates,” said OIG Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Nutt .
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeanne Semivan prosecuted the case.
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