Prosecutors drop charges in juvenile inmate sex abuse case


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BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A former Idaho juvenile corrections nurse accused of having sex with inmates has had all charges against her dropped.

The Idaho Statesman reports (http://bit.ly/2dtpfu8 ) that all four felony charges against Valerie Lieteau were dismissed Thursday after she successfully completed a lie-detector test. Lieteau had been scheduled to go to trial next week for sexual battery of a child and sexual contact with an inmate.

Prosecutors had requested polygraph testing due to concerns about lack of physical evidence in the case. Polygraph results are not admissible in court, but they are commonly used to help build or resolve cases.

"We trust the results of appropriately worded and professionally administered polygraphs, and as prosecutors, we have a professional and ethical obligation to not move forward when there is compelling evidence that would negate the charges," Canyon County Prosecutor Bryan Taylor said in a news release. "That's what happened in this case, and that's why we made the decision to dismiss in the interests of justice."

Prosecutors said Lieteau had agreed to plead guilty if she failed the polygraph tests.

Lieteau's attorney, Jon Cox, said justice has been served and that Lieteau maintained her innocence from the beginning.

Lieteau, who worked at the facility from 2008 to 2011, told police in 2014 that she had conducted classes on sexually transmitted diseases and only engaged with inmates professionally. She was charged in June 2015.

Several other employees were fired under a previous investigation into sexual abuse at the Nampa facility, and several former inmates have filed lawsuits. She is still facing a civil lawsuit that involves the three plaintiffs in the criminal case.

Cox said he believes the polygraph results bolster Lieteau's chances of beating the lawsuit, since her responses denied any inappropriate activity with any inmate.

A previous investigation into sexual abuse at the center has led to the firing of several employees, and several former inmates have filed lawsuits. In all, 11 males and one female say they were sexually abused by workers at the center.

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Information from: Idaho Statesman, http://www.idahostatesman.com

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