Female officer accused of prison sex

Alex Shebar

The Cincinnati Enquirer

July 13, 2009

LEBANON - A female corrections officer was indicted Monday for allegedly having sex several times with a male prisoner at the Lebanon Correctional Institute

Authorities said Iona D. Cowan, 51, of Forest Park, had four different sexual encounters with a male prisoner at the Lebanon Correctional Institute.

The encounters happened between May 12 and June 11, according to Matt Nolan, spokesman for the Warren County Prosecutor's Office. During that time, Cowan was employed by the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.

Cowan was caught by the people who monitor the prison surveillance system, Nolan said.

"There were video cameras that showed not the acts themselves but things related to the acts. Precursors to the acts," he said.

Cowan was indicted Monday on one count of sexual battery. Her court date has not been set.

It is unclear if Cowan still works at the Lebanon Correctional Institute.

"Every year we have a couple instances of this occurring," Nolan said. "I wouldn't call it common, but it does happen."