CLEARFIELD COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) — Police have charged a corrections officer at SCI Houtzdale after she was caught having sexual relations with a male inmate.
In early March 2019, SCI Houtzdale Superintendent Smith sent a complaint about Crystal Bloom, 54, being seen spending an excessive amount of time alone with an inmate.
This lead to a covert camera being installed in a storage closet where Bloom and the inmate had been seen interacting on numerous occasions.
On March 22, Bloom and the inmate were seen on camera in the storage closet. They were observed kissing and touching each other periodically before Bloom left camera view.
On March 23, the inmate was seen on camera exposed, with his pants down. Soon after Bloom was seen approaching him. They report she was seen placing her radio and belt on the table, then bending over when the inmate approached her.
Officials questioned the inmate who was not facing any potential charges. After seeing a few minutes of the footage, the inmate asked to turn it off and he explained the situation. He believed that after his release, he and Bloom would be in a romantic relationship, and they did have sex the one time.
Later that day, officials questioned Bloom after reading her Miranda rights. She agreed to speak about what was on the tape and told investigators that she had no intent on having a relationship with the inmate after his release. She also states she did not smuggle anything in for the inmate, or any others, and did not have contact with the inmate’s friends or family.
Documents show that Bloom is facing charges of “Institutional Sexual Assualt.”