By Thane Grauel and Hoa Nguyen

BEDFORD – A correction officer from the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility has been charged with raping a female inmate.

Richard Rodriguez, 33, of Brooklyn was arrested Monday by the state police's Bureau of Criminal Investigation from the Somers barracks. He was charged with third-degree rape, a felony.

Under New York law, inmates cannot give consent, and sex between a correction officer and inmate is statutory rape.

The arrest came after a joint investigation by the state Inspector General's Office, the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, and state police. The Westchester County District Attorney's Office said the Inspector General's Office and corrections officials contacted the state police in February about an alleged sexual encounter between a female inmate and Rodriguez. The District Attorney's Office said that the investigation revealed the two had sexual contact at the facility in December 2013.

There have been several past instances of prisoner rape by a correctional officer at Bedford Hills, including Frederick Brenyah, of Yonkers, who was convicted of attempted rape of a 57-year-old woman in 2010. Brenyah, who was sentenced to 10 years probation and eventually was fired from his job, also had been accused of prison rape in 2003 but was acquitted in that case.

In 2009, David Sawyer, then a sergeant at Bedford Hills, pleaded guilty to third-degree rape for having sex with a female inmate. He also was sentenced to 10 years of probation.

Across New York state in 2011, there were 184 allegations of sexual misconduct — four substantiated — and 84 allegations of sexual harassment — two substantiated — between a staff member and inmate, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Justice.

Rodriguez was arraigned in Bedford Town Court and released on $500 cash bail. He is appear again Sept. 4.

He was suspended from his job May 6 and disciplinary charges have been filed against him.