Tony Klein, a former nurse convicted of sexually abusing women in custody at an Oregon prison, has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison. This verdict was delivered on Tuesday, along with an additional five years of supervised release after his prison term, as stated by the U.S. Attorney's Office — District of Oregon. It's noteworthy that he had been facing a potential life sentence.
The federal jury's decision in July found Klein guilty on 17 counts related to sexual assault and four counts of perjury involving nine women.
The jurors determined that he had violated these women's constitutional rights by subjecting them to cruel and unusual punishment while they were incarcerated at the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility in Wilsonville, south of Portland. Klein had been employed as a nurse at the facility from 2010 until 2018, where he interacted with incarcerated women in need of medical care or those working in the prison's medical unit.
Prosecutors contended that Klein had sexually assaulted numerous women under his care, exploiting his position of authority and intimidating them into silence.
Klein chose to resign while the Oregon State Police was investigating the allegations of assault. Denying any sexual misconduct, the 39-year-old former nurse plans to appeal the sentence. However, he did not testify during the trial. His defense team, comprised of Amanda Alvarez Thibeault and Matthew McHenry, argued during the trial that Klein was, who were allegedly plotting to secure financial settlements from the state.
The unanimous verdict reached by the jury foreman, Patrick O'Halloran, in July attested to the careful consideration of the evidence. Prosecutors emphasized that Klein had exploited his position of trust, violated public faith, and taken every measure to evade detection.
Natalie Wight, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, acknowledged the bravery and determination of the women who came forward. She also credited the FBI and Civil Rights Division for their unwavering dedication in holding Tony Klein accountable for his crimes.
Notably, multiple women have filed lawsuits against the state Department of Corrections and Klein, alleging sexual abuse dating back to 2019. The state has reached settlements in at least 11 of these cases, totaling $1.87 million in payments, while not admitting any wrongdoing.
