Officer charged for having sex with inmate

LAWRENCEBURG, Ind. - Dearborn County officials are investigating allegations that a corrections officer had sex with a male inmate while she was on the job.

Michelle Jackson, a 30-year-old Community Corrections Officer allegedly had a sexual relationship with an inmate, identified as Eric Coleman.

Jackson was charged with sexual misconduct by a service provider during an initial hearing Tuesday, said Dearborn County Prosecutor Aaron Negangard.

According to court documents, Coleman and Jackson had multiple sexual encounters between Sept. 7, 2011, and Jan. 31, 2012. Coleman told an employee that Jackson would pick him up while he was out of jail during the day on work release so the pair could have sex. That employee also said he observed text messages on Coleman's phone between Coleman and Jackson.

Negangard told 9 News that in one instance Jackson physically changed the perimeters of Coleman's electronic monitoring device at home so the pair could have sex in the driveway. However, a detective says Jackson changed the monitoring perimeter multiple times.

Jackson has worked for the South Regional Community Corrections (SERCC) since November 2011, according to Corrections Director Terri Dillard. Coleman was on work release from Sept. 5, 2011, until Dec. 5, 2011, and then began intensive in-home incarceration on Dec. 5, 2011.

Coleman told detectives he met Jackson shortly after beginning his stay at the Dearborn County Jail, according to court documents. He began communicating frequently with Jackson while smoking outside the office. Coleman said on three separate occasions he met with Jackson and had sex with her. He said two of the encounters occurred while he was on work release and the third happened at his residence while he was on home incarceration.

Jackson is being held at the Dearborn County Jail.

Stay with 9 News and WCPO.com for updates as they become available.