Ex-Chowchilla prison guard found guilty of using his authority to rape women

MADERA COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – A former Chowchilla prison guard was found guilty of using his authority to rape women, the Madera County District Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday.

According to officials, Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) Correctional Officer Gregory Rodriguez was found guilty of 64 counts of sexual assault against nine women he oversaw – the record of abuse goes back to 2014, almost a decade before he retired in 2022.

In a statement sent by The California Coalition for Women Prisoners, Dr. Alisa Bierria, an advocate with Survived and Punished, said the crimes were an abuse of power.

“As I witnessed in court, survivors testified that correctional officers have vast institutional power to control incarcerated people’s movement, safety, and opportunities for freedom, making them extremely vulnerable to abuse. Survivors will not be safe from ongoing violence until they are released,” Bierria said.

However, the DA says “these allegations are in no way a reflection on the vast majority of correctional officers who act professionally and do their best to make sure prisoners serve their time while remaining safe.”

Unfortunately, Rodriguez is not the prison’s last bout with sexual assault allegations. On Jan. 2, CCWF Sergeant Ralph Contreras Jr. was arrested for allegedly distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material. He is currently in custody at the Madera County Jail.

The DA says Rodriguez will be sentenced on April 17. He is facing more than 70 years in prison.