Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Jail guard sentenced to 60 days jail, sex offender restrictions after "affair"

A Missouri jail officer was ordered to undergo 5 years of probation, sex offender treatment, and 60 days in jail after a sexual relationship with an inmate turned into marriage. 29 year old Tara Hewkin, of the St. Louis suburb of Warrenton was sentenced by Circuit Judge Keith Sutherland yesterday after being convicted on March 26 in a bench trial. Sentencing was delayed to give probation officers time to prepare a report.

Hewkin began working at the jail as a corrections officer in April 2007. David Latham, 34, was one of several federal inmates being housed in the Warren County jail in the fall of 2007. On Oct. 15, 2007, jail staff found a cell phone in Latham's cell. Officers determined it belonged to Hewkin.

Hewkin admitted to police she gave Latham the phone so he could stay in touch with her. She told police she and Latham were involved in an intimate relationship. She reported that on three occasions she and Latham had sexual contact, once in the laundry room of the jail and the other times between the doors of two cell pods.

Latham was convicted on marijuana charges and sentenced to 5 years in USP Leavenworth. Besides the conviction, as a sex offender, Hewkin cannot live within 1000 feet of schools or day care centers.

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