Kayla Bergom, a 27-year-old former Iowa female jail employee, was arrested. She is accused of having sex with an inmate several times at the Tama County Jail.
She resigned from her post right before her arrest on April 20. Bergom held the job for three years.
The sexual relations with the 29-year-old male inmate reportedly took place between September 2020 and April 2021. His identity has not been revealed.
However, the intimate encounters allegedly happened at least twice in the recreation yard. The pair also had sex in a utility closet once.
The Tama County Jail is a small facility with just 30 inmates. Their sentences do not go over one year. While the information has not been confirmed, it is unlikely that the inmate is still there.
Kayla Mae Bergom has been charged with three counts of sexual misconduct. She is pleading not guilty, and the trial is set to begin on August 12.
She could spend up to six years in prison. The case is the result of a complaint that was filed by a county employee and an investigation concluded earlier this year.
Experts say these cases are multiplying around the country. While they have always existed, just like abuse in the education system, they are being reported more often. Some are hoping that large-scale reforms can address the issue that is now too common.
The case involving former corrections officer Vicky White, 56, and Casey White, 38, made the subject a national conversation earlier this year.
The Lauderdale County, Alabama, Sheriff’s Office said they disappeared together and had a “special relationship.” Their run lasted 11 days and ended in tragedy. She helped him escape Florence, Alabama, jail under false pretense.
The ex-guard was shot dead in Indiana after a police chase, and her former lover is now accused of murder.
Although Vicky White, who was not related to the suspect, shot herself in the head, he is still being held responsible for putting her in this situation. Casey White is pleading not guilty.
Brenda Smith, a law expert, told NBC News: “I think that it is sort of the construct of supervision in these settings that creates those environments and those opportunities.”
Smith blames a lack of privacy for male inmates and the sexual harassment that female guards go through in this kind of setting for the rise in cases.
Some are pushing for men guards to work with male inmates and for female guards to take care of women behind bars. However, this could create legal problems regarding the hiring process.
Moreover, human behavior is not always easy to predict. By all accounts, Vicky White was a model employee.
