CENTRAL CALIFORNIA WOMEN’S FACILITY (CCWF) SEXUAL ABUSE LAWSUITS

Representing Women Sexually Assaulted at Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) 

Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) is a female-only state prison in Chowchilla, California operated by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). It is the largest female-only correctional facility in the country and is located adjacent to Valley State Prison, which was formerly Valley State Prison for Women.

As with other female-only jails and prisons across California, Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) has had a dark legacy of sexual abuse perpetrated against female inmates. This includes years of alleged and substantiated claims involving female inmates being abused by prison guards and staff, as well as investigative reports and internal records indicating that the problem was rampant and well-known for many years.  Many women are now bravely coming forward to shine light on this dark history of abuse.

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

The History of Sexual Abuse at CCWF

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

• In January 2025, Gregory Rodriguez, former correctional officer at the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla, was found guilty of 59 felony counts of sexual abuse and five misdemeanor counts of sexual battery.  Rodriguez was arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting at least 13 inmates. The alleged assaults date back to 2014, with the majority occurring within the past two years. Based on a lawsuit filed by survivors of Rodriguez’s abuse, Rodriguez allegedly lured some victims into a parole board hearing room where there were no cameras before sexually assaulting them. That lawsuit was settled in October 2023 for $3.7 million.

• 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.

• Between approximately September 2022 and September 2024, hundreds of lawsuits were filed alleging officers sexually abused people incarcerated at the Central California Women’s Facility over the last decade, ranging from allegations of inappropriate groping during searches and genital rubbing to forcible rape.  In August 2024, allegedly as retaliation for the filing of these complaints of sexual abuse, 159 women were allegedly detained in the cafeteria and correctional officer Fernando Arroyo allegedly directed officers to attack the group with pepper spray, tear gas grenades, rubber bullets, and batons, even though the women complied with orders and posed no threat. Several women allegedly suffered seizures, and a plaintiff was believed to have suffered a stroke after being struck with batons. She was then allegedly placed in isolation for 11 days. 

• In October 2023, 29 former female inmates filed a civil lawsuit against the state and CCWF staff over claims that they were sexually abused by correctional officer Israel Trevino Jr. The lawsuit accused prison officials of enabling Trevino, who worked at CCWF for over a decade before his termination in 2018. 

• In September 2021, a lawsuit filed by an administrative worker alleged that CCWF Warden Mike Pallares “began demanding sex” from her after she complained of harassment by other staff, and that Pallares coerced her into having sex with him while they were both at work. Pallares had also been accused of misconduct at the time he was investigating Rodriguez in two separate lawsuits. The month prior, another lawsuit by a former female warden accused Pallares of routine sexual harassment after she took control of the prison in 2017. Pallares has also been accused of inappropriate sexual conduct by at least one female inmate.

• In August 2016, a report from the non-profit public interest firm Prison Law Office chronicled many of the problems present at CCWF. This includes claims that CCWF management cultivated a culture that permits, condones, and covers up abuse, enabled guards and staff to retaliate against inmates seeking assistance, and prevented inmates from seeking help from entities outside the institution.  Some of the findings included accounts of staff having sexual relations with inmates, inmates being rewarded with contraband (i.e. cigarettes, make-up, jewelry, cell phones, alcohol, and drugs) or special privileges (i.e. more out-of-cell time and phone calls) for engaging in sexual activity with staff, and inappropriately intrusive body searches.

• In 1999, an LA Times investigation highlighted similar human rights issues in the Prison Law Office’s 2016 report.  Some of the findings included allegations from a former inmate who claimed her child was fathered behind bars by a prison staff member, allegations from inmates who claimed that they routinely fended off sexual advances from prison guards and work crew supervisors, and a 1996 deposition in which a male nurse assigned with caring for seriously and terminally ill inmates admitted to sexually abusing three patients.  A 1997 report from the NY-based Human Rights Watch also found that female inmates were frequently sexually abused in California prisons and that procedures used to report and investigate abuse were flawed and biased in favor of correctional staff.

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.