Century Regional Detention Facility Sexual Abuse Lawsuit
Over the past decade, the Century Regional Detention Facility in California has been the subject of numerous lawsuits and criminal investigations over allegations of staff-on-inmate sexual abuse. If you or a loved one has experienced sexual abuse or assault while detained at CRDF, you have options for holding the responsible parties accountable.
- Century Regional Detention Facility is a women’s prison in Los Angeles County, California, that holds all female detainees awaiting arraignment or trial in the county.
- Since 2010, the facility has been the subject of several lawsuits regarding alleged sexual misconduct by staff, including a class action that resulted in a $53 million settlement.
- Survivors of prison inmate abuse in California have legal rights and options for seeking accountability and compensation.
Century Regional Detention Facility, also known as Lynwood Jail or the Los Angeles County Jail for Women, is a women’s prison in Los Angeles County, California. The facility has an extensive history of staff misconduct. Over the last decade, multiple staff members have been arrested on charges of sexually abusing inmates, and the county has paid out millions of dollars in settlements to victims of staff-on-inmate abuse.
While incarcerated, detainees have constitutional rights protecting them from abuse, neglect, and harassment, including sexual assault and misconduct. If you or a loved one has experienced sexual abuse while detained at Century Regional Detention Facility, Helping Survivors can help you understand your legal rights and options for seeking justice.
What Is the Century Regional Detention Facility?
Located in Lynwood, California, the Century Regional Detention Facility, or CRDF, is one of seven jails operated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Sometimes referred to as the Los Angeles County Jail for Women or the Lynwood Jail, it has operated since 2006 and houses female inmates awaiting arraignment or trial.
Table of Contents
- What Is the Century Regional Detention Facility?
- Sexual Abuse and Assault Allegations at Century Regional Detention Facility
- Rights and Options for Survivors of Century Regional Detention Facility Sex Abuse
- Types of Damages Available in Prison Sexual Abuse Cases
- If you are not sure where to turn, RAINN can help.
- California Laws on Sexual Abuse and Assault
- Contact Helping Survivors for Support and Legal Resources
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Sexual Abuse and Assault Allegations at Century Regional Detention Facility
Since 2010, multiple lawsuits have been filed against L.A. County officials over alleged sexual abuse and assault by staff at the Century Regional Detention Facility. Meanwhile, several former staff members have also faced criminal charges over alleged sexual assault.
In November 2023, former deputy Jonathan Tejada Paredes was arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting an inmate at CRDF, but no charges were filed. Three years earlier, a custody assistant at the facility, Roy’ce Bass, was arrested over allegations of engaging in sexual misconduct with detainees at CRDF between 2017 and 2018.
Another ex-CRDF employee, Giancarlo Scotti, was charged with assaulting six inmates in 2018. Scotti pleaded no contest and received a two-year sentence. L.A. County has also paid out more than $4 million in civil settlements to victims of Scotti’s misconduct.
Sexual Abuse and Harassment Lawsuits Filed – 2025
In January 2026, 18 survivors filed a lawsuit against L.A. County officials alleging sexual assaults by staff at the CRDF. An earlier federal lawsuit was filed in October 2025 on behalf of 38 plaintiffs who alleged that male jail staffers sexually assaulted them.
Both suits allege that staff forced inmates to perform oral sex, offered basic supplies in exchange for sex, and sexually assaulted inmates while they were handcuffed. The latest lawsuit also alleges that male deputies watched inmates shower, groped them, and sexually harassed them.
Illegal Strip Searches Class Action – 2010
In July 2019, Los Angeles County agreed to the largest settlement payout in county history to resolve a 2010 class-action lawsuit over invasive strip search practices between March 2008 and January 2015 at the CRDF. The county agreed to pay $53 million to resolve the lawsuit, which was brought on behalf of thousands of former inmates and alleged practices violated the Fourth Amendment.
Rights and Options for Survivors of Century Regional Detention Facility Sex Abuse
Survivors of sexual abuse, assault, and harassment at Century Regional Detention Facility have several options for reporting the abuse and holding the responsible parties accountable.
Filing a Complaint with Oversight Agencies
The first step in officially reporting prison inmate abuse is to file a complaint with the correctional facility directly. You can also report abuse to the Office of the Inspector General’s PREA Ombudsperson.
Reporting to Law Enforcement
Survivors can also report prison abuse at the CRDF to the LA County Sheriff’s Department, which operates the facility. However, consult a prison abuse attorney before making such a report to ensure your rights are protected.
Filing a Civil Lawsuit
Prison sexual abuse victims and their families may also be eligible to pursue civil lawsuits against the agency that runs the prison for failing to prevent sexual abuse or adequately investigate it when it occurred.
The L.A. County Sheriff’s Department, which operates the Century Regional Detention Facility, may be liable for sexual assaults committed by the staff there if it failed to implement adequate protective measures, ignored reports of abuse, or failed to discipline perpetrators.
You may still be able to file a civil lawsuit for prison inmate abuse even if it occurred years ago. An experienced attorney can assist you in evaluating and filing your case. Contact Helping Survivors to get connected with an experienced prison abuse attorney for a free case review.
Types of Damages Available in Prison Sexual Abuse Cases
In prison sexual abuse cases, victims may be able to recover compensation for a range of damages, depending on the nature, severity, duration, and frequency of the abuse, among other factors.
You may be able to receive compensation for medical bills, therapy costs, pain, suffering, emotional distress, lost wages, and other damages. However, no compensation is guaranteed.
If you are not sure where to turn, RAINN can help.
Call 800-656-HOPE (4673) to talk confidentially with a trained professional from RAINN.
They can put you in touch with local resources and organizations that can help in your healing journey.
If you want to speak to a lawyer about your experience, Helping Survivors may be able to connect you with one.
California Laws on Sexual Abuse and Assault
California law gives prosecutors a set amount of time to bring criminal charges against perpetrators of sexual assault and abuse. There is no limit on filing criminal charges for certain serious felony offenses if the filing deadline had passed as of January 1, 2017. For sexual assaults that occurred before that date, prosecutors typically must file charges within ten years of the incident.
The statute of limitations for civil actions requires lawsuits to be filed within 10 years of the assault or within three years of discovering the harm it caused.
Contact Helping Survivors for Support and Legal Resources
If you or a loved one has suffered sexual abuse, assault, or harassment at Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood, Los Angeles County, California, you have legal rights and options for holding the responsible parties accountable and seeking compensation.
At Helping Survivors, we work with trauma-informed attorneys to provide legal support to survivors of sexual abuse and assault. We connect survivors with our legal partners, who file civil lawsuits on behalf of victims against the individuals and institutions that perpetrated and enabled abuse. In these lawsuits, survivors can seek compensation for their suffering and other losses.
To learn more about your options as a survivor of prison abuse, contact Helping Survivors today.
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