Filed Date: Dec. 18, 2023
Closed Date: March 18, 2025
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This is one of dozens of individual suits filed by women currently or formerly incarcerated at Federal Correctional Institution Dublin (FCI Dublin), a minimum-security women’s prison in Dublin, California, alleging sexual abuse by prison employees. The facility, which had become known as the “rape club,” was shut down by the federal government in 2024 after eight employees, including the former warden, were charged with sexually abusing inmates over a number of years.
In this case, a woman formerly incarcerated at FCI Dublin filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on December 18, 2023, against the United States and two named individuals employed at FCI Dublin–one a correctional officer and one the associate warden–alleging she was repeatedly subjected to sexual abuse. The complaint included state and federal law claims of human trafficking against the individual defendants and four claims against the United States under the Federal Tort Claims Act–one for gender violence, one for sexual assault, and two for battery. Represented by private counsel, the plaintiff sought damages, including compensatory, special, punitive, and nominal damages, as well as fees and costs.
The case was assigned to District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, who also oversaw class action litigation for injunctive relief stemming from the same sex abuse scandal at FCI Dublin. (See California Coalition for Women Prisoners v. Federal Bureau of Prisons). Pursuant to the court’s Civil Local Rules 3-12(b) and 7-11, Judge Rogers entered a related case order on January 8, 2024, officially relating this case to another case for individual damages filed in the Northern District of California as a result of abuse suffered at FCI Dublin–M.R. v. Federal Correctional Institution "FCI" Dublin et al. By the end of 2024, Judge Rogers had issued orders to relate some 90 cases to the M.R. case.
In February 2025, the plaintiff filed a proposed order for dismissal after the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) reached a settlement with 103 survivors of sexual abuse at FCI Dublin. Under the settlement, BOP agreed to pay a total of $115.8 million to the victims in varrying amounts based on their individual claims. According to the National Women’s Law Center, this marked the largest civil award “ever to center on sexual abuse claims by incarcerated people.” Judge Rogers officially dismissed this case on March 18, 2025.
Summary Authors
Logan Moore (4/5/2025)
M.R. v. Federal Correctional Institution "FCI" Dublin, Northern District of California (2022)
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/68099004/parties/sl-v-united-states-of-america/
Rogers, Yvonne Gonzalez (California)
Golden, Deborah (California)
Johns, EmilyRose Naomi (California)
Siegel, Dan (California)
Schulze, Leslie (California)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/68099004/sl-v-united-states-of-america/
Last updated Oct. 28, 2025, 7:21 a.m.
State / Territory:
Case Type(s):
Key Dates
Filing Date: Dec. 18, 2023
Closing Date: March 18, 2025
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
Woman formerly incarcerated at FCI Dublin who suffered repeat sexual abuse by correctional officers.
Plaintiff Type(s):
Public Interest Lawyer: No
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
United States of America, Federal
Defendant Type(s):
Facility Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA), 28 U.S.C. § 2674
Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA), 18 U.S.C. § 1589
Other Dockets:
Northern District of California 4:23-cv-06517
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Defendant
Nature of Relief:
Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement
Source of Relief:
Form of Settlement:
Issues
General/Misc.:
Affected Sex/Gender(s):
Jails, Prisons, Detention Centers, and Other Institutions: