CLEARFIELD – A hearing was held for a woman accused of having a sexual relationship with an inmate at SCI-Houtzdale while she worked there.
Rachelle Thompson of Philipsburg faces three counts of institutional sexual assault, weapons or implements for escape, telecommunications devices to inmates prohibited, and money to inmates prohibited. Two counts of harassment were dropped following the hearing.
Testimony started off with a witness who didn’t want to testify, co-defendant Jason Campbell, who was also reportedly Thompson’s prison lover. Campbell was called to the stand and questioned about his cellmate. Campbell then invoked his Fifth Amendment right. District Attorney William A. Shaw Jr. then provided the court with an immunity order obtained by the commonwealth for Campbell’s testimony. The immunity order would mean that Campbell’s testimony would not incriminate him. Campbell stuck to his guns, and refused to testify, leading to a contempt hearing following Thompson’s hearing.
“I accept all punishment that comes my way,” said Campbell.
Testimony got under way when Cpt. Byron Brumbaugh took the stand. He testified that in September 2011 they began to have concerns about an inmate possibly having a cell phone that was obtained from a staff member. He said a search of the cell, which belonged to Campbell and co-defendant Maurice Carter, was done, and it was reported to him that two cell phones were found.
Brumbaugh said that both Carter and Campbell were interviewed; Campbell’s interview was recorded. He said that Campbell admitted in the interview to getting the cell phones from Thompson. When asked why she would provide them, he said they had a relationship. Brumbaugh said Campbell told him the relationship began a year and a half prior. She was one of his councelors, and he wrote a paper with her as the topic. Brumbaugh said Campbell told him he realized he could get in trouble, but it was way of “testing the waters.”
Brumbaugh said Campbell told him the relationship started emotionally but turned physical. Once she was moved to another building, Campbell told the CO that she had him hired to work in her building. He said Campbell told him of sexual relations the inmate had with Thompson, who was a drug, alcohol and treatment specialist.
Brumbaugh said they also questioned him about a photo on one of the phones with Campbell and $1,000 in his mouth. Campbell told him that Thompson provided him the money, which is contraband to inmates. Campbell said he would send the cash to his family, they would then send it back and keep a portion of it.
Under cross examination, defense attorney Dave Mason asked how Brumbaugh knew how much money was in Campbell’s mouth.
“You could count the $100 bills in his mouth,” said Brumbaugh. He also said there was no other evidence of cash in the case other than the photo.
Brumbaugh also questioned him about nude photos on the phone, which he said Campbell identified as Thompson. Campbell was also asked about identifying marks on Thompson, to which he replied she had his name tattooed on her hip.
Tpr. Terry Jordan was then called to testify. He stated that they ultimately came to see Thompson as a suspect in the case. He said that she was called in and agreed to answer some questions. He said she told she was free to leave at any time. Mason objected, and stated that there was an absence of Miranda warnings and that the interview took four hours between two troopers.
“It was not a casual meeting,” said Mason. He also presented a motion for Jordan’s statements to be supressed. Magisterial District Judge Richard Ireland acknowledged Mason’s motion, but stated he was not a supression judge.
Jordan continued his testimony, and stated that Thompson eventually admitted to bringing one phone in for Campbell on an “open gate” day at the prison. He said she told him she left it in her office and Campbell later retrieved it. Jordan also testified that she at first denied any relationship involvement with Campbell.
Mason objected again, stating that his client asked for an attorney at one point during the interview. Jordan was allowed to continue, and stated that at one point, Tpr. Kimberly Ronan terminated the interview. He said he went to his office and began work on his computer in regard to the case. He said Ronan came in and told him that Thompson had something to tell him. He then testified that Thompson told him that she and Campbell had been intimate.
Jordan also said she admitted to getting a tattoo with someone’s name or initials was a mistake. He testified that when he looked for it, she had gotten it covered by another tattoo.
Under cross, there were many questions presented to Jordan about when the interview was terminated and when the recording of the interview was terminated.
At the end of the hearing, Ireland bound all charges over, save the harassment charges.
Following the hearing, Campbell faced a contempt hearing. Ireland fined him $1,000 and one year in jail, consecutive to his current sentence. He also waived his hearing in the case sex/phon case. Campbell faces two counts of terroristic threats, two counts of introduce weapon that may be used for escape, two counts of contraband, and two counts of harassment.