A former Massachusetts correctional officer is heading to trial — accused of preying on an inmate with mental health issues for money and having sex behind prison walls.
Charlotte Ferro resigned from the Department of Correction in the wake of these allegations. She’s accused of having sexual relations with Nathan Williams, who is a prisoner at Souza Baranowski Correctional Center in Shirley.
Williams was one of the children placed in that foster home “house of horrors” decades ago who will receive part of a historic $7 million settlement reached with the Department of Children and Families last month. According to court and DCF records, he was severely sexually, mentally and physically abused in the state-licensed foster home of Ray and Susan Blouin in Oxford years ago.
Williams is now serving time for rape. Prosecutors say Charlotte Ferro researched Williams’ background, knew he was part of a lawsuit filed against DCF and groomed him for money. The alleged victim told the judge he was targeted and manipulated.
“She researched my life, she researched all of my trauma to create a financially motivated crime. She acted like she wanted to be in a romantic and sexual relationship with me, she learned about my lawsuit. I was stuck in a cell with severe mental health problems and I had to deal with someone in a position of power who only cared about herself and said and did whatever to get her to trust me," said Williams.
At a plea hearing Thursday, a district court judge recommended one year of probation and mental health counseling if Charlotte Ferro pleaded guilty, but Ferro declined and requested a trial.
She faces a sentence of up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine if convicted. Her lawyer told the court she’s in mental health counseling and regrets what happened. Ferro had no comment.
