FORMER PRISON NURSE PLEADS GUILTY TO SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH INMATE

Former prison nurse Dana Gibson pleaded guilty Tuesday in New London Superior Court to having a sexual relationship with an inmate who worked in the medical unit at the Corrigan-Radgowski Correctional Center in Montville.

Gibson, 46, of Montville was sentenced to two years of probation for fourth-degree sexual assault, a misdemeanor offense. She initially had been charged in May with second-degree sexual assault, a felony, but accepted a plea offer that had been worked out between prosecutor Theresa Anne Ferryman and her attorney, J. Christopher Llinas.

Judge Hillary B. Strackbein imposed the sentence and told Gibson she is prohibited from having contact with the victim while on probation.

The unidentified victim, who is represented by attorney Martin J. Minnella, was aware of the sentence and did not object, according to Ferryman.

Gibson’s attorney said she had been a registered nurse for 18 years but that her license is suspended. He said she has hopes of rebuilding her career now that the case is resolved.

“I don’t think you’ll see her here again,” Llinas said. “This is a unique situation.”

According to state police, the 36-year-old victim told police he came forward about the relationship because he was “tired of looking over his shoulder and worrying about what would happen.” He said he didn’t want his time in jail extended if someone found out.

Gibson was employed by UConn Health, which at the time provided medical services for the state Department of Correction. She worked at Corrigan from Sept. 30, 2016, until March 6, 2018.

The victim said he and Gibson had about 20 sexual encounters, including kissing, fondling and oral sex, and that the encounters happened within the medical unit, exam room or nurses station, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.

Gibson said the contact only lasted a few seconds because she was never alone with him, according to police. She sent him letters, cards and pictures, and signed the letters with a different name to hide her identity. She also got a prepaid phone to talk with him over the inmate phones, and put $300 into his inmate account, the warrant says. They called each other husband and wife.