New investigations at FCJJ after inmate hospitalized for drug use

TULSA, Oklahoma – Less than 24 hours after a large-scale raid by local and federal police, the Family Center for Juvenile Justice was under investigation for drug-related offenses when a resident became ill.

The facility has been under intensive observation for months and has been on probation since July 8.

Two former prison guards are accused of sexual abuse.

According to a civil lawsuit, the problem is even more widespread: 30 victims complain of sexual, emotional or physical abuse, even though those responsible knew about it and did nothing to stop it.

“At this point, the way it works on a day-to-day basis, it’s the worst place you can be as a young person in Tulsa County,” said Chris Brecht, an attorney with the Smolen Law firm who is representing the alleged victims in the civil case.

On July 12, Department of Homeland Security agents, Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office investigators and Tulsa Police Department officers spent hours collecting items in a large-scale search operation, a move that was a sign of hope for many who felt nothing was being done.

Police execute search warrant at juvenile detention center

But on July 13, a resident was hospitalized on suspicion of drug abuse, according to Tulsa Police reports. Sniffer dogs were called in. 2 News learned that the dogs did not find anything during the search, but the investigation is ongoing and toxicology reports are awaited.

Documents confirm years of problems in which children were held in a cell for days and were denied adequate access to the outdoors, hygiene products or certain medicines.

2 News has obtained new documents that shed light on the situation.

In 2023, three administrators testified under oath that they believed they had followed rules and regulations and denied the allegations. At the same time, one of them testified before Judge Kevin Gray that he was only at the facility two to four hours a week.

At the time, the public defender requested that her client be released due to conditions in the detention center, but Judge Gray denied the request.

Gray is a defendant in the civil suit along with Tulsa County Commissioners.

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