Attorney General Letitia James
Attorney General Letitia James

Parker sentenced to four months in jail, 10 years’ probation, and must register as a sex offender for life 

Attorney General Letitia James today announced that Jennifer Parker, a former Kitchen Supervisor at the St. Lawrence County Correctional Facility in Canton, New York, was sentenced to four months of intermittent time in jail and ten years of probation, after admitting to engaging in sexual misconduct with multiple inmates who were under her supervision and control, between 2011 and 2014. Today, Parker was also designated a Level 2 Sex Offender, which means she will have to register as a Sex Offender for life and comply with all requirements of the Sex Offender Registration Act (SORA).

“Jennifer Parker broke the public’s trust and put inmates and her colleagues in harm’s way,” said James. “New Yorkers put their faith in those who operate our correctional facilities and ensure our safety, and this behavior was a blatant violation of that faith and the law. Let this be a loud and clear message: no one is above the law.”

Parker previously entered guilty pleas before the Honorable Jerome J. Richards in St. Lawrence County Court on March 26, 2019, to two counts of Criminal Sexual Act in the Third Degree in violation of Penal Law § 130.40(1), a class “E” felony and one count of Official Misconduct in violation of Penal Law § 195.00(1), a class “A” misdemeanor. 

Parker was the Head Cook at the St. Lawrence County Correctional Facility in Canton from August 2010 until her resignation in June 2018. Parker’s duties and responsibilities as Head Cook included managing and supervising both civilian employees and inmates who worked in the kitchen. According to filed documents and statements made in court, Parker engaged in various sexual acts with multiple inmates who were committed to the care and custody of the St. Lawrence County Correctional Facility and worked for her in the kitchen at the Correctional Facility, and who, by state law, are incapable of consent.

On March 26, 2019, Parker admitted that she engaged in oral sexual conduct with an inmate under her supervision and control between June 2011 and July 2011. Parker further admitted that she engaged in oral sexual conduct with a second inmate under her supervision and control in or around May 2012. Parker also admitted that between approximately February 2014 and March 2014, with the intent to obtain a benefit, she forcibly touched a third inmate under her supervision and control, constituting an unauthorized exercise of her official functions, knowing that such act was unauthorized.

Parker appeared in court today before Judge Richards, who sentenced her to four months of intermittent time in jail and ten years of probation. Following a SORA Hearing, Judge Richards designated Parker a Level 2 Sex Offender, which means she will have to register as a Sex Offender for life and comply with all requirements of SORA. 

Today’s sentencing was the culmination of a joint investigation by the Attorney General’s Office and the New York State Police, which resulted in Parker pleading guilty to three top counts of a sixteen-count indictment charging Parker with engaging in multiple acts of sexual misconduct relating to three inmates, including three felony counts of Rape in the Third Degree, five felony counts of Criminal Sexual Act in the Third Degree, one misdemeanor count of Promoting Prison Contraband in the Second Degree, two misdemeanor counts of Forcible Touching, and five misdemeanor counts of Official Misconduct. 

The Attorney General thanks the New York State Police for their valuable assistance in this investigation.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Mary Gorman of the Public Integrity Bureau, with the assistance of Senior Analyst Joseph Conniff, under the supervision of Deputy Bureau Chief Stacy Aronowitz. The Criminal Justice Division is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General José Maldonado. The investigation was handled by Investigator David Buske, with assistance from Investigator Joel Cordone of the Investigations Bureau, with additional support from Supervising Investigator Richard Doyle and Deputy Bureau Chief Antoine Karam. The Investigations Bureau is led by First Deputy Chief Investigator John Reidy.

By martha

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