Stateville Employee Had Lots Of Sex With Prisoner: Complaint

JOLIET, IL — A criminal complaint is now on file at the Will County Courthouse surrounding last week's arrest of Wren Covington-Jackson, an employee at Stateville Correctional Center. She stands accused of carrying on a lengthy sexual relationship with one of the prisoners. Covington-Jackson, 46, of Chicago, has been charged in Will County with three counts of sexual misconduct and three counts of official misconduct.

She was taken into custody last Tuesday night, May 2 by the Illinois State Police District 5. At her first court appearance, Will County Judge Art Smigielski set her bail at $20,000. On May 4, she came up with the required 10 percent, $2,000 cash, to post bond.

She will remain free while her criminal case is pending in Joliet.

The criminal complaint alleges that between February 1 and March 31, 2018, Covington-Jackson, "a correctional officer with the Illinois Department of Corrections knowingly engaged in sexual penetration with M.H., a person who was in custody at the Illinois Department of Corrections housed at Stateville Correctional Center."

The complaint lists several different sexual positions and acts Covington-Jackson is accused of performing upon the convicted state prisoner.

"Said defendant, a public officer or employee while acting in her official capacity as a public employee knowingly performed an act she knew was forbidden by law to perform, custodial sexual misconduct in that she while employed and working being on duty as an employee ... knowingly engaged in sexual penetration with a person in custody of the Illinois Department of Corrections."

As part of the conditions of bond, Judge Smigielski ruled "the defendant is not allowed on Stateville grounds or with inmate M.H."

Mugshot of Wren Covington-Jackson via Will County Sheriff's Department, image of Stateville via Google Maps