SRCI employees arrested

By Andy Gates - Argus Observer
Saturday, September 1, 2007 10:41 PM PDT

ONTARIO - Two married officers from the Snake River Correctional Institution were arrested Thursday night at their Ontario home for manufacturing marijuana, and the wife was also charged in connection to an allegation she had sex with an inmate at the prison.

The prison officers, Tomi Sue Fowler, 39, and James Matthew Fowler, 29, were arrested on warrants stemming from an indictment filed Thursday afternoon in Malheur County Circuit Court.

Tomi Fowler, who began working as an officer at SRCI in February 1999, is charged with unlawful manufacture of marijuana, first degree custodial sexual misconduct, second degree custodial sexual misconduct, supplying contraband and second degree official misconduct.

She allegedly had sexual intercourse with a 25-year-old male inmate at the prison on, or between, the period of May 1 to June 9, according to the indictment filed in Malheur County Circuit Court.

She was also charged with supplying contraband because she allegedly brought diet pills into the prison, court records show. The prison put Tomi Fowler on paid administrative leave June 9, after officers learned of the criminal allegations against her, according to a press release Friday from the Malheur County District Attorney’s Office.

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“Officials from the Snake River Correctional Institution contacted the Oregon State Police after they learned of (the) allegation that Tomi Sue Fowler had engaged in sexual activity with an inmate of the institution,” the Malheur County District Attorney’s Office press release said. According to the D.A.’s press release, police found marijuana plants at the Fowler home while executing a search warrant at the residence.

James Fowler is charged with one count of unlawful manufacture of marijuana.

He began working as a correctional officer at SRCI in August 2000, and was still employed at the time of his arrest.

His employment status is now under review by the institution, SRCI Public Information Officer Amber Campbell said.

Tomi Fowler is still on administrative leave since her arrest, Campbell said.

“There is a process we have to follow,” Campbell said.

Officials are disclosing few details of the case, and did not specify exactly where in the prison the alleged sexual activity occurred.

Campbell said the situation is “unfortunate.”

“We don’t like to see these cases,” she said.

The glum-looking Fowlers were snapped for mug shots at their arrest, and spent the night in jail. They were released Friday after their arraignment, officials said, and they are scheduled to enter their pleas in early October.

The prison does not conduct regular, scheduled drug testing on its employees, Campbell confirmed.

“If there were suspicions we could request a drug test,” Campbell said. “There’s not a routine process set up for drug testing staff.”

Situations like the one revolving around the Fowlers are rare for SRCI, Campbell said.

“Instances like these are very unfortunate and rare for us. They have a tendency to overshadow the good work of staff at the institution every day.”

The male inmate who Tomi Fowler allegedly had sex with at the prison was named as a witness in the case, court records show.

The Fowlers could not be reached Friday for comment.