A hearing officer has upheld the firing of Amelia Jimenez from her correctional officer's job because she had a "romantic relationship" with an inmate.
The relationship with infirmary porter and inmate Jesse Le Blanc came to light during an investigation into damage to a security camera at the Lovelock Correctional Center. While conducting that investigation, officers saw her and the inmate disappear into a janitor closet for several minutes.
Le Blanc admitted the relationship, although he denied it was a sexual relationship. He described it as romantic. He also admitted she brought him contraband - a pair of fancy work-out gloves and a black CD case as gifts.
Jimenez admitted she went into the closet with Le Blanc, saying he had to get cleaning supplies.
She accused other prison officials of setting her up by bringing the contraband into the institution because she filed sexual harassment charges against her lieutenant.
Hearing officer Bill Kockenmeister said that claim was not credible, nor were her denials of the relationship with Le Blanc, as he had admitted to it.
"The weight of the evidence supports the conclusion that employee had an improper relationship with an inmate," he wrote.
Kockenmeister upheld the Department of Corrections decision to fire Jimenez.
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