A Rhode Island correctional officer has been charged with having sexual relations with an inmate, the state Department of Corrections said Monday.
Justin M. Toye, 36, was charged with three counts of Correctional Employees — Sexual Relations with Inmates, according to Corrections Department spokesman J.R. Ventura. The charge refers to “inmates,” but the conduct in question was with one person, Ventura said.
Toye was arrested Sunday by members of the state police, with the assistance of the Adult Correctional Institutions’ Office of Internal Affairs. The ACI, as the prison system is known, has multiple units across a campus in Cranston.
“We hold ourselves to the highest standards,” RIDOC Director Patricia A. Coyne-Fague said in an emailed statement. “Any employee who is found guilty of violating those standards and the public’s trust, will be held fully accountable for their actions. Any display of unethical behavior has the potential to tarnish the good work of the dedicated staff in this agency, and we have zero tolerance for it. The consequences for this type of conduct will be expeditious and severe.”
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The Rhode Island State Police is the lead agency investigating the case, Ventura said.
“We commend the outstanding work of our Office of Internal Affairs, as well as the Rhode Island State Police, who continues to be watchful and swiftly addresses any and all reports of possible misconduct,” Ventura said.
The charges are felonies. A justice of the peace set personal recognizance bail, which means he did not have to post any money but agreed to keep the peace and be on good behavior. He’s set for an arraignment before a District Court judge on Wednesday.
Brian Amaral can be reached at brian.amaral@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @bamaral44.