When inappropriate communications between a 35-year-old male jail officer and a 21-year-old female inmate unexpectedly surfaced at the Greene County Sheriff’s Department last Saturday, an immediate investigation was launched, resulting in the termination and arrest of the jailer on Monday. He’s accused of having two sexual encounters with the inmate and is now facing two Level 5 felonies.  

Chad Andrew Ray, 35, of Switz City, was arrested by Det. Jim O’Malley of the Greene County Sheriff’s Department on Monday afternoon, July 22. Ray’s bond was set at $10,000 surety with ten percent cash allowed. He posted $1,000 cash and was released the same day.

Greene County Prosecutor Jarrod Holtsclaw filed a criminal case against Ray in Greene Circuit Court this morning, Thursday, July 25.

The preliminary charges against Ray include two counts of sexual misconduct (defendant is a service provider), both as Level 5 felonies.

This charge of sexual misconduct is not the same as sexual misconduct with a minor or other such sexual misconduct crimes. Ray is being charged under Indiana Code 35-44.1-3-10 regarding “sexual misconduct with a service provider.”  It applies when a service provider knowingly or intentionally engages in sexual intercourse or other sexual conduct with a person who is in lawful detention or supervision. A “service provider” could be a public servant, someone employed by the government, or someone providing services or supervision of someone who is in lawful detention or supervision by an entity such as a jail, prison, court, probation or parole department or community corrections program.

If convicted, under Indiana law, a Level 5 felony carries a possible sentence of one to six years. Ray is facing two Level 5 felonies.

Det. O’Malley, the lead investigator, discovered questionable communications when he and GCSD Det. Shawn Cullison were familiarizing themselves with a newly-installed phone system at the sheriff’s department. O’Malley explained it all in a probable cause affidavit.

A new phone system was installed at the jail last Thursday, July 18. The next day, the two detectives were trained on the new system. The day after that, Saturday, July 20, the two were still learning and getting familiar with the system when they discovered that phone calls were being placed from the female inmate block of the jail to a cell phone number that was registered to a jail officer, specifically Chad Ray. An investigation began and they figured out which female inmate was placing the calls and that policies regarding jail officers may have been disregarded. These calls are recorded.

O’Malley wrote that some content of the recorded calls made from the female inmate to Ray indicated there might have been a physical sexual incident between the two.

At that point, Ray was off duty and would not be back on duty until Monday, so it was on Monday when the investigation picked up more steam.

Over the course of the day, Det. O’Malley interviewed both Ray and the female inmate, who is 21 years of age. At first, both of them denied having interaction, Ray denied any physical contact or special treatment to an inmate and the inmate denied having physical contact with Ray, except for a small hug on one occasion – she said they were old friends.

The stories changed after O’Malley said he was going to confiscate the female inmate’s mail and other correspondence in her possession and that he was going to ask for a search warrant to read the material.

Ray allegedly admitted he had an ongoing physical relationship with the inmate and had kissed her four times, usually when he was in her cell block on a “watch tour.” O’Malley said Ray also admitted he had sexual intercourse with the inmate in her cell and he admitted to another incident when the inmate performed oral sex on him, also in her cell.

When updated on the new information the detective had obtained, the inmate refused to talk to O’Malley and demanded an attorney.

O’Malley also interviewed another jail officer who was on duty in the tower at the time the alleged sexual encounters took place. The jail officer said he did not know of any inappropriate actions but he did say the female inmate sometimes flirts with officers and sometimes winks or compliments them.

According to O’Malley, the jail officer reported there was one occasion when Ray said he needed to work on the plumbing in the inmate’s cell. He said he ordered all inmates in the female block to their cells for lockdown and he directed the inmate’s cellmate to stay seated at a table in the common area. He said Ray went into the cell to do the work with the female inmate also in the cell. O’Malley wrote that he questioned the officer about why he didn’t remove the inmate from the cell and the officer replied, “I wasn’t thinking.”

As background info, last week Sheriff Mike Hasler said the male inmates in the jail had been moved from the old wing of the jail to the newly-constructed wing and construction had started to renovate some areas of the old wing.  

In O’Malley’s narrative, he mentions the changes taking place at the jail, and notes that the female inmates were moved from the old women’s dormitory style unit to the old men’s cell units on June 10. He said this change allowed for the privacy necessary for the sexual contact to occur. The old female dormitory unit did not offer this type of privacy.

According to information released today by Sheriff Hasler, who confirmed the initial investigation commenced late last week and concluded on Monday, Ray’s employment with the sheriff’s department was terminated and he was arrested and booked in at 2:43 p.m. Ray had been employed as a jail officer since November of 2018. The case was then referred to Prosecutor Holtsclaw. Due to the pending criminal proceedings, the sheriff’s department declined to comment further on the case.

Following Ray’s arrest, O’Malley followed through on his promise to obtain a search warrant which was granted by Greene Circuit Court on Tuesday.

O’Malley reported letters passed between Ray and the female inmate contained explicit details about the physical sexual acts that allegedly occurred between the two, specifically mentioning an act of sexual intercourse and an act of oral sex. O’Malley noted that one letter to the inmate had Ray’s cell phone number written on it.

Ray is currently scheduled to appear before Judge Erik Allen in Greene Circuit Court next Monday, July 29, for his initial hearing.