Prison guard accused of having sex with inmate pleads guilty

A Nevada corrections officer pleaded guilty on Wednesday to misconduct of a public official following accusations of having sexual relations with a woman convicted of killing a child.

The state’s attorney general had initially charged Eugenio Dimas, 51, with official misconduct and having voluntary sex with 26-year-old inmate Monique Maestas. Following the guilty plea, Dimas will be sentenced for misconduct of a public official on Oct. 3 before Judge James Bixler.

Dimas had previously been employed as a correctional officer at Florence McClure Woman’s Correctional Center when a complaint filed in February said several inmates claimed Dimas and Maestas were having sexual relations. Maestas is serving a life sentence for murder in the 2003 stabbing of 3-year-old Kristyanna Cowan.

Maestas initially denied the affair with Dimas before later changing her story, admitting that she had sexual relations with Dimas, according to an investigator's report. She also claimed she had received gifts of jewelry and photographs of his family.

During an interview with officials, Dimas denied having sex with Maestas or giving her a pendant and photographs before later acknowledging he had given Maestas the photos and his phone number.

Investigators from the Investigator General’s Office arrested Dimas in February following a tip that he had an inappropriate relationship with an inmate. They intercepted a prisoner telephone calls between Dimas and Maestas, confirming the allegations, Attornery General’s Office officials said.

“Our office takes seriously any allegations of misconduct by public employees,” said Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto in a press release.