Former halfway house employee arrested for sexual assault of federal inmate
ATLANTA - Tristan Cox, 33, a former employee at a residential halfway house in Atlanta, appeared in federal court on Nov. 13, facing charges of non-consensual sexual contact with a federal inmate under his custody. U.S. Magistrate Judge Justin S. Anand released Cox on a $10,000 bond.
The charges stem from an incident in April 2024 when Cox, employed as a Residence Monitor at the Atlanta Residential Reentry Center (RRC), allegedly assaulted an inmate in a supply room during an overnight shift. DNA evidence collected and tested by the FBI reportedly corroborated the inmate's account. The allegations were reported to the Department of Justice’s Office of Inspector General, which launched an investigation.
Sexual contact between Bureau of Prisons employees and inmates is a criminal offense under the federal Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bret R. Hobson and Brent Alan Gray, with the investigation led by the Department of Justice’s Office of Inspector General. Cox is presumed innocent until proven guilty, and the government bears the burden of proof at trial.
For further information, contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at (404) 581-6016 or visit justice.gov/usao-ndga.