An Iowa woman has been indicted for alleged abusive sexual contact with an inmate and making false statements to federal law enforcement. This announcement was made by Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.
Court documents reveal that Jessica Lynn Larson, 37, was employed by the Bureau of Prisons as a nurse at the Federal Medical Center in Rochester, Minnesota. She allegedly engaged in a romantic relationship with an inmate, identified as Victim A. Their relationship involved the exchange of sexually explicit letters and reportedly led to a sexual encounter in a shower room on April 3, 2024.
The situation came to light when nursing staff reported Larson's inappropriate relationship, leading to a search of Victim A's cell. The search uncovered letters from Larson, and similar letters from Victim A were found in Larson's backpack. When confronted, Larson allegedly filed a false accusation report, claiming Victim A had sexually assaulted her and threatened her children.
“'In Minnesota, we take sexual abuse—particularly when committed by those in positions of authority—very seriously,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. “Likewise, lying to the United States is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. My office will continue to aggressively prosecute defendants who commit these crimes.'"
Larson is scheduled to appear before Magistrate Judge John F. Docherty in U.S. District Court on April 9, 2025.
The investigation was conducted by the Department of Justice’s Office of the Inspector General and the Bureau of Prisons. Prosecuting the case is Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.
It is noted that an indictment is an allegation, and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
