This Woman Was Sexually Assaulted — & Almost Got Fired For It

On Sunday, Rikers correctional officer Samantha Moscoso was reportedly sexually assaulted by a 25-year-old male inmate as she escorted him to the showers. When she fought back by placing her hands on his head, she almost got herself fired.  "He violated me," she told ABC New York of the attack. According to the report, inmate Dexter Bell — a level-two sex offender who was convicted for the attempted rape of a 17-year-old girl — was handcuffed when he pushed Moscoco up against a railing, then "reached back and grabbed her between the legs," and refused to let go. "I had to sit there and get him off of me by any means possible," she explained. This led to the "head shot" that got Moscoso in trouble with her female supervisor, who threatened to write her up for the incident. 

"She told me, ‘Oh you put your hands on him?’ And I’m hysterical, crying," Moscoso recounts in this shocking clip.
"‘You put your hands on him? The department doesn’t take too kindly to
head shots. That’s grounds for termination.’ You’re more concerned about
an inmate and I’m your officer?"

Moscoso got her union involved and Bell was arrested for the alleged assault.  Although Rikers Island is notorious for inmate abuse, this is the second case of sexual assault perpetrated by a prisoner against a correctional officer since February 28, when Raleek Young attempted to rape a female guard in a bathroom. Bell has not come forward with his version of the incident, but it is worth noting that in addition to his previous rape conviction, he is currently on trial for the alleged rape of three different women.