Pleasanton Man Sentenced To 63 Months For Sexual Abuse Conviction

PLEASANTON, CA —A Pleasanton man was sentenced to 63 months in prison after being convicted of two counts of sexual abuse of a ward, and three counts of abusive sexual conduct at the FCI Dublin women’s prison, the Department of Justice announced Monday.

John Bellhouse, 40, was also sentenced to five years of supervised release following his time in prison, and ordered to pay $25,000 in restitution.

Trial evidence showed that from December 2019 to October 2020, Bellhouse sexually abused an inmate over whom he had disciplinary control. Further evidence showed that he sexually abused another inmate in 2020 and 2021, including non consensual touch through her cell.

According to a government memo, Bellhouse used his ability to access everyday items considered contraband like coffee, yarn, jewelry and cleaning supplies to keep other inmates quiet regarding his abuse. If inmates were caught with these items, they could receive punishments like solitary confinement or loss of good time credits.

“John Bellhouse exploited his position of trust at the Federal Bureau of Prisons by sexually abusing multiple women in his custody – and today he has been held to account,” Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco said in a statement. “The sentence of imprisonment imposed today is the latest example of the Justice Department’s continuing work to address the egregious misconduct that took place at FCI Dublin and prioritize the eradication of sexual assault from our prison system.”

The two are the latest in a string of convictions of former FCI Dublin employees that have included the former warden and chaplain. The investigations followed a lengthy Associated Press exposé in February 2022, which revealed that both employees and inmates referred to the prison as the “rape club.”

Related:

• Former FCI Employee Sentenced For Sexual Abuse
• Former FCI Dublin Inmates File Class-Action Lawsuit Against Prison
• Former FCI Dublin Warden Sentenced For Sex-Related Crimes