Prison guard arrested in alleged sex with inmate

Doug Shore  —  6/17/2008 11:51 am

A corrections officer at the maximum-security Columbia Correctional Institution was arrested Monday on multiple felony charges, including sexual assault and delivery of articles to an inmate.

Christine Killoran-Pulver, 45, of Portage was being held in the Columbia County jail awaiting an initial court appearance. The most serious of the charges involves a sexual relationship Killoran-Pulver was allegedly having with an inmate.

Columbia County Detective Daniel Garrigan said Killoran-Pulver was initially the subject of an internal Department of Corrections investigation related to another minor infraction. In the process of that inquiry, corrections officers were informed that the officer was engaging in more serious misconduct. An undercover investigation was initiated in the fall of 2007 by the Columbia County Sheriff's Office.

According to Garrigan, all sexual conduct between corrections officers and inmates is considered sexual assault.

"Based on the law, consent is impossible because of the power that guards have over inmates," said Garrigan. "There is no such thing as 'consensual sex' in this situation."

Garrigan said that all corrections officers are well aware of the policies regarding sexual relationships with inmates.

"I'm positive Ms. Pulver was aware of the law," said Garrigan. "That's Corrections 101."

Garrigan said that corrections officers, like all law enforcement, should be held to higher standard and that Killoran-Pulver will go through the judicial process just like anyone else.

"Her actions give a bad name to corrections officers and law enforcement in general," said Garrigan.

Garrigan said that a similar case occurred roughly a year ago in Columbia County when a guard was smuggling cigarettes to an inmate she was also having sex with.

Doug Shore  —  6/17/2008 11:51 am