Guards and other employees at Alabama's Julia Tutwiler Prison for Women accused in a U.S. Department of Justice report of demeaning, harassing and sexually abusing inmates typically pleaded guilty to lesser crimes, an AL.com examination of court records found.

According to figures provided to AL.com by Gov. Robert Bentley's office, the Alabama Department of Corrections sent 18 cases of sexual misconduct to the Elmore County District Attorney's office between 2009 and 2013. Those cases involved 30 corrections employees.

Between 2009 and 2011, six Tutwiler employees were indicted on charges of custodial sexual misconduct or abuse.

Despite the serious nature of the allegations, some pleaded guilty to misdemeanors and received only probation or suspended sentences.

Under Alabama's Open Records Law, AL.com has requested the names and positions of all Tutwiler employees who have been charged with crimes against inmates in the last 10 years, along with details of ADOC disciplinary actions for offenses against inmates.

The DOJ report released Jan. 17 detailed allegations of rape and brutality at the prison for nearly two decades.

The 36-page report highlighted the findings of an April 2013 investigation and condemned the "toxic, sexualized environment" at Tutwiler. The violations range from verbal abuse and voyeurism to forced sexual contact between prisoners and Tutwiler staff members, according to the report.

[Read firsthand accounts from former inmates: Behind bars, women found a different kind of prison at Tutwiler]

In October 2009, Kwame Woods was charged with custodial sexual misconduct for allegedly having oral sex with a Tutwiler inmate the previous year. He admitted the incident to investigators. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to four months, suspended.

In the fall of 2009, William Miller was accused of engaging in sexual conduct with an inmate serving life without parole at Tutwiler. Another prison employee learned of the relationship while monitoring phone conversations, and a subsequent review of dozens of phone calls "indicated an improper relationship," according to court records. Miller was charged with custodial sexual misconduct but pleaded guilty to harassing communications. He received one year's probation.

In April 2011, Herman Boleware, who was working in the laundry room, was accused of having sexual intercourse with an inmate. He was charged with custodial sexual misconduct but in January 2012 pleaded guilty to third-degree assault, a misdemeanor. He served five days in jail and was put on probation for two years.

In April 2011, Rodney Arbuthnot was charged with custodial sexual misconduct for having sexual intercourse with an inmate the previous summer. He pleaded guilty and served six months in prison, with the remainder of his three-year sentence suspended.

In August 2011, Quentin Cook was charged with custodial sexual abuse, but he pleaded guilty to four counts of harassment. Court records do not outline the accusations against Cook. He was put on two years' probation in lieu of a three-month suspended sentence.

In August 2011, Reginald Kendrick was charged with custodial sexual abuse for having sexual contact with an inmate who was serving several years at Tutwiler. Kendrick pleaded guilty to the charge and received a three-year suspended sentence.

It is unclear what progress has been made in the month since the DOJ report outlined necessary changes at Tutwiler. In an interview with AL.com last month, ADOC Commissioner Kim Thomas acknowledged that problems persist at the facility,

A spokesman said last month that ADOC cases sent to the district attorney do not mean employees were charged, disciplined or terminated. ADOC has not provided specific details of what happened in the cases referred to the Elmore County district attorney's office and did not identify the employees who were charged or convicted of crimes.

In 2009, one case involving one employee was sent to the district attorney, according to the data from the governor's office. In 2010, there were two cases involving seven employees. In 2011, there were five cases involving 12 employees. In 2012 there were five cases involving six employees. And in 2013 there were five cases involving four employees.