A former Arizona Department of Corrections warehouse employee has been accused of having a sexual relationship with a female inmate who was an inmate employee of his.
Court records show that a former corrections worker had five sexual encounters from March until May with the female inmate.
Corrections authorities report that they received an anonymous letter alleging that a female inmate at the Perryville prison, near Citrus and McDowell roads, was involved in a sexual relationship with her ex-boss, 43-year-old Martin Sesmas. Sesmas was a warehouse employee with the Arizona Department of Corrections.
Officials found several letters and jewelry in her cell, she also reportedly admitted to a non-sexual relationship with Sesmas.Corrections officials also say that Sesmas reported to them that he deposited $800 into her inmate account.
On August 11, corrections officials interviewed Sesmas who allegedly admitted to the sexual relationship saying they had sex five times in 2016, including one time on the field and another behind some dumpsters.
The man was arrested by investigators with the department of corrections and booked into a Maricopa County jail for unlawful sexual conduct, which is a class 5 felony. The department accepted the man's immediate resignation, according to Director of Communications with the Arizona Department of Corrections Andrew Wilder.
"Sexual conduct with an inmate is a serious criminal act, as it jeopardizes the safe, secure and orderly operation of our prisons and puts other employees, inmates and the public at potential risk," Wilder said via an e-mailed statement. "The department does not tolerate the line between inmate and employee to be crossed. Consequently, we will support prosecution in this matter to the fullest extent of the law."
Sesmas has been charged with four counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a person in custody by a correctional employee.
