CALIFORNIA INSTITUTION FOR WOMEN (CIW) SEXUAL ABUSE LAWSUITS

Representing Women Sexually Assaulted at the California Institution For Women (CIW) 

California Institution for Women (CIW) is a women’s state prison operated by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR).

Although its mailing address lists Corona, a city in Riverside County, CIW has been physically located in Chino since 2003, following an annexation of land in unincorporated San Bernardino County. The prison was originally opened in its present-day location in 1952 as the California Institution for Women at Corona and was the only women’s prison in the state until 1987.

Like other jails and prisons in California, CIW has a dark history of rampant sexual abuse and harassment committed by guards and prison staff against female inmates. This is illustrated by years of criminal cases against corrections officers, civil lawsuits, and numerous substantiated claims. 

If you or a loved one has been hurt at CIW, Levy Konigsberg is here to fight for you. Reach out today.

The History of Sexual Abuse at CIW

The history and enablement of sexual abuse at CIW includes the following allegations and investigations:

• In February 2025, six women filed a lawsuit against Dr. Scott Lee, accusing him of sexually abusing them under the pretense of medical treatment while serving as the only gynecologist at CIW from 2016–2023. The plaintiffs also claimed that the prison system failed to intervene, enabling the abuse to persist and leaving them with no option but to endure the misconduct to access necessary medical care.

• In September 2024, the United States Department of Justice launched an investigation to evaluate whether CDCR protects people incarcerated at Central California Women’s Facility and the California Institution for Women from sexual abuse by correctional staff based on numerous reports of sexual abuse at the facilities. The investigation was prompted by, among other lawsuits and allegations, a civil lawsuit filed on behalf of 21 women incarcerated at the California Institution for Women which included allegations of forcible rape and penetration, groping, and oral copulation, as well as threats of violence and punishment with abusive conduct ranging from 2014 to 2020.

• In 2017, three corrections officers at CIW were terminated and charged with felony sex crimes for sexual contact with inmates at or near their housing units. The officers were Robert Darrow, who was charged with assaulting an inmate in May 2017, Officer Tony Garcia, who forced an inmate to perform oral sex on him in her cell that same month, and Officer Stephen Merrill, who groped two female inmates after entering their cell at 3:30am on October 30, 2017. Merrill and Garcia pleaded guilty to their charges.

• In July 2016, a former female inmate filed a federal lawsuit against the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation over allegations that she was sexually assaulted repeatedly by a CIW correctional officer over the course of six months. According to the federal complaint, the Officer, Michael Ewell, “had a history of sexually assaulting women” that was well known to the CDCR. Ewell was reportedly terminated in May 2015 after working at CIW for two years.

• In 2012, two women filed a lawsuit alleging that prison officials failed to protect them from sexual abuse by guards while they were incarcerated at CIW in 2010. The suit claimed that former CIW warden Guillermo Garcia ignored multiple complaints that Officer Gary Swatzell was assaulting several female inmates and that, in retaliation for reporting his misconduct, Garcia ignored a complaint from a lieutenant who claimed she was also assaulted by Swatzell. Swatzell impregnated one of the inmates and was later charged and sentenced to two years in jail. In 2017, the Court imposed sanctions against prison officials for actions during the lawsuit including claiming that Garcia’s file had been shredded despite it being subject to a litigation hold and Garcia himself testifying that he voluntarily retired, when in fact he was involuntarily terminated due to his mishandling of sexual misconduct cases at CIW.

Do I Have a Case?

You may have grounds to file a civil legal action if:

• You were sexually abused by a guard, counselor, nurse, or other women's prison staff member.
• The abuse occurred at any women's prison.

Levy Konigsberg represents survivors in civil lawsuits that aim to hold women's prisons,  youth residential treatment facilities, juvenile detention centers, private healthcare companies, and other facility operators accountable for their failures to stop abusive staff members and protect female inmates.

As civil claims, these cases are separate from any criminal proceedings that may arise from abuse and focus instead on holding institutions liable for damages. This means you may still have a claim even if:

• Your abuser is no longer alive.
• Your abuser was never charged with or convicted of a crime.

Recoverable Damages in Sexual Abuse Claims

In addition to providing accountability and a sense of justice, civil sex abuse lawsuits allow survivors to recover financial compensation for their damages, which may include:

• Past medical and mental health expenses
• Future mental health expenses, including therapy, medications, etc.
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional anguish and psychological harm
• Lost income
• Other economic and non-economic damages

California Sexual Abuse Attorneys

Sexual abuse lawsuits, like other claims brought by plaintiffs who seek damages for injuries, are subject to a legal deadline known as the statute of limitations. When the statute of limitations expires, victims are not able to file claims or recover compensation.

Fortunately, California has recognized that the statute of limitations can act as a barrier to justice for sexual abuse survivors, which research has shown can take years or decades to come to terms with their abuse and the damages it had caused. As such, California passed the Child Victims Act in 2019 to extend the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse lawsuits. Under the CA Child Victims Act, survivors sexually abused as minors can file claims until age 40 (22 years after turning 18).

In addition, the “Sexual Abuse and Cover Up Accountability Act” (AB 2777) gives greater protection to those sexually abused when they were 18 years or older. AB 2777 facilitates the pursuit of justice and accountability, enabling survivors to seek legal recourse against institutions that concealed or enabled the abuse. Under existing law, survivors abused when 18 or older may file a lawsuit within 10 years from the date of the abuse and survivors abused after January 1, 2009 may file until December 2026 for any claim that would otherwise be time-barred.

Determining the statute of limitations that applies to your sexual abuse case against a California entity can be challenging, which is why it is best to bring your matter to the attention of an experienced lawyer.

Levy Konigsberg is actively investigating allegations of sexual abuse at any California women's prison.

Levy Konigsberg is a nationally recognized law firm specializing in representing survivors of sexual abuse in women's prisons. With extensive experience in handling cases of staff-on-inmate sexual misconduct, we have successfully advocated for hundreds of former female inmates across the United States, ensuring that survivors receive the justice and compensation they deserve. Our commitment to holding perpetrators and negligent institutions accountable makes us a trusted ally in the fight against sexual abuse in correctional facilities. If you or a loved one has suffered sexual abuse while incarcerated, Levy Konigsberg offers compassionate and professional legal support to help navigate this challenging time.