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SCRANTON (AP) — A northeastern Pennsylvania prosecutor has asked the state attorney general to investigate alleged sexual abuse of inmates at a county jail.
Lackawanna County District Attorney Shane Scanlon’s office began investigating in June after a lawsuit filed by attorney Matthew Comerford that alleges several current and former guards harassed a female inmate. The lawsuit also contends prison officials knew of the alleged harassment and didn’t report it and was amended last month to say that district attorney’s employees hid information from a 2010 grand jury investigation into unrelated sex abuse allegations at the jail.
Scanlon says the accusations against some of his employees create a potential conflict of interest, which is why he asked the attorney general to investigate.
An AG’s spokesman confirmed the referral but declined additional comment.