Jail officer busted for sex abuse

A sadistic correction officer working a federal jail in lower Manhattan sexually abused four female inmates, prosecutors charged Tuesday.

Colin “Akon” Akparanta abused the four inmates at Metropolitan Correctional Center between 2012 and 2018 while also smuggling contraband for them, according to a criminal complaint. In the case of at least one victim, Akparanta demanded she submit to his abuse in exchange for the contraband, which included personal hygiene items, makeup and food, the complaint charges.

The married father of four also asked for the inmates’ contact information so he could reach them once they were out of lockup, prosecutors said. He also gave money to once victim after she was released, Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Pomerantz said.

“As alleged, Colin Akparanta was a predator in uniform, exploiting his position to sexually abuse multiple inmates over a several-year period. No inmate in a Bureau of Prisons facility should fear sexual abuse at the hands of a correctional officer, and thankfully, Akparanta will have no more victims,” Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman said.

Akparanta, 42, of Irvington, N.J., allegedly assaulted one of his victims through the slotted door of her cell in solitary confinement.

He was held on $200,000 bail after pleading not guilty. He will be kept in protective custody due to his line of work.

“He’s been an upstanding citizen,” Akparanta’s attorney Lance Clarke said.

He was due to appear before a judge Tuesday afternoon. He is charged with sexual abuse of a ward, among other charges. The most serious charge carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.