ROCKFORD — A Winnebago County Jail inmate has filed a federal lawsuit against the jail and some jail employees contending his First Amendment right to practice his religion has been violated.

Eric Massenburg, 46, of Rockford filed the lawsuit Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Rockford. He claims that jail officials are denying him the right to receive Jehovah’s Witnesses religious materials, such as those published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, and to view similar materials on the tablet computers provided to inmates. Named as defendants are Winnebago County, the Winnebago County Jail, Winnebago County Jail administrators and nearly a dozen jail staffers.

In the lawsuit, Massenburg writes that “the jail provides retreats to select religious groups lasting about three days, yet I am unable to simply listen in on conventions held locally three times a year — two days at a time.” He said he could listen to these broadcasts and wouldn’t need to leave the jail or stay in a different pod within the jail to do so.

Massenburg seeks an injunction barring jail administrators from further interfering with the practice of his religion. He has been in jail since February 2016, charged with eight counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, booking and court records show.

Massenburg wrote that he’s sent requests and filed grievances, but jail administrators, including the chaplain and former librarian, “told me that jail administration will not allow any outside books or periodicals into the jail population. This rule is also found in the inmate handbook.”

Jail Superintendent Bob Redmond declined to comment on the lawsuit.

Jail employees’ obligation, in general, is to accommodate inmates’ religious beliefs and their ability to practice those religions, said Ed Yohnka, spokesman for the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois.

“It does raise considerable questions about whether or not there is this religious material that’s being singled out. That’s where the violation occurs,” Yohnka said. “It raises a constitutional question.”

Jails often arrangements with publishers to have religious materials shipped directly to inmates. If a jail’s policy prohibits that, Yohnka said, “that’s a problem.”

For more than a year, Winnebago County Jail inmates have been able to use special tablets that can’t access the internet or social media platforms. These tablets are intranet-based, allowing access only to content the sheriff approves, such as GED prep classes, religion classes, anger management and parenting classes, the law library, and books, games and music. Using money from their commissary accounts, inmates can make phone calls from these tablets, and purchase jail-approved books, games and other types of content directly from the vendor, Global Tel Link.

Yohnka said a decision hasn’t been made about whether the ACLU could intervene in this case on Massenburg’s behalf.

David Kurlinkus, chief of the civil bureau in the state’s attorney’s office, said county officials haven’t been served with a copy of the lawsuit but would “review the complaint when it comes in.” He declined to comment on jail policies regarding religious materials.

Massenburg is seeking damages totaling $5 million.

“You cannot truly put or attach a price on one’s relationship with his creator, but the damages sought will hopefully make officials rethink its rules, regulations and practices,” Massenburg wrote.

Said Yohnka: “If these allegations are true, they raise serious constitutional questions and for that reason we hope that the lawsuit becomes that vehicle for exploring these policies. If the allegations are true, what it demonstrates is a need for jail and jail officials to be more open to people being able to engage in the practice of their religion and ensure they are being treated equally, no matter what their religious beliefs are.”

No court date has been set.

Kristen Zambo: 815-987-1339; kzambo@rrstar.com; @KristenZambo