Midway Man Sentenced for Engaging in Sexual Relationship with Inmate
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA / Monday, June 30, 2025 – Kerontrez Lamar Kenon, 23, of Midway, Florida, was sentenced to one year in prison after previously pleading guilty to engaging in a sexual relationship with a ward. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
According to court records, Kenon was employed as a correctional officer at Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Tallahassee during June and July 2023, when he engaged in sexual intercourse with a female inmate who was under his custodial authority. Kenon also brought the inmate cigarettes and food, against regulations, and helped the inmate set up a CashApp so that other inmates could pay her for cigarettes. At the time that the inmate reported the incident, Kenon was no longer employed by FCI Tallahassee. Kenon’s prison sentence will be followed by five years’ supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “A correctional officer’s abuse of his position is intolerable. My office will work with our federal partners to vigorously investigate and prosecute any officer who violates their oath through the abuse of inmates entrusted to their care and custody.”
“No inmate should ever experience sexual abuse or mistreatment of any kind by those responsible for their safety and custody. The Office of the Inspector General is committed to holding violators accountable and seeking justice for these victims of exploitation,” said Eric Fehlman, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Southeast Region.
“The FBI will stop at nothing to seek justice for victims of crime, including inmates who suffer abuse while housed in corrections facilities,” Jason Carley, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jacksonville Division. “This case is even more egregious, having been committed by someone who was in a position of authority. Our investigators will continue to work tirelessly in coordination with our law enforcement partners to identify those who violate their oath to protect and serve.”
The conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by the Department of Justice Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith L. Steer.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Contact
United States Attorney’s Office
Northern District of Florida
USAFLN.Press.Office@usdoj.gov
X: @NDFLnews
Source: U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Florida
