Corrections Officer Edward White Charged with Sexuallly Exploiting Inmates

A corrections officer who worked at the women's prison in Swanton is facing charges of allegedly sexually exploiting three inmates.

Edward White, a 40-year-old St. Albans resident, was held on $100,000 bail after he was arraigned Friday on three counts of sexually exploiting an inmate, according to the Vermont State Police.

The investigation into White began a year ago when an inmate alleged that White had inappropriate contact with her, police said. White was suspended during the investigation. But due to a lack of evidence, prosecutors dropped the case, and White was reinstated to his job at the Northwest State Correctional Center last month, police said.

After he went back to work, however, two other female inmates reported similar incidents that happened after his return, police said. Based on these new allegations White was again suspended, police said. During the second part of the investigation, state police received new information about the original accusation and have charged him with the alleged 2009 incident.

White is lodged at the Chittenden Regional Correctional Center, police said.