Three unnamed women have filed a federal lawsuit against Washington County, the Utah Department of Corrections and two former corrections officers at the Purgatory Jail.

In the suit filed Tuesday, the three women, named Jane Does one through three, claim that they were victims of coerced sex from corrections officers Brian Stubbs and Charles Mrkvicka.

Both men were convicted and sentenced to jail time in connection with a sex scandal that was uncovered last spring.

The scandal involved several corrections deputies who were accused of having inappropriate relationships with female inmates inside and outside the Purgatory Jail.

Five deputies quit in light of an investigation by the Washington County Sheriff's Office and an independent investigator.

Two other deputies, Mrkvicka and Stubbs, were sentenced to 120 days in jail. Investigators have said some inmates were afforded greater freedoms in exchange for sexual favors. There were also reports of deputies giving inmates candy, CDs and jewelry as gifts.

According to the suit, "Jane Doe I" alleges she had a sexual relationship with Mrkvicka from June 1, 2005, to February 2006 while she was an inmate in the jail.

"Jane Doe II" claims she had a sexual relationship with Stubbs that included Stubbs signing her out of a halfway house in Layton to take her on an eight-hour furlough "where sexual activity took place."

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"Jane Doe III" claims she ran into Stubbs at a casino in Mesquite, Nev., where she was out of her probation parameters. She claims Stubbs "coerced" her into having sex, which she complied with out of concern she could be reported for a probation violation.

All three women claim their constitutional rights were violated and also claim the defendants violated the Prisoner Rape Elimination Act.

They are asking a federal court for general and special damages, as well as attorney's fees.


E-mail: gfattah@desnews.com

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