Mikael Salvador Rivera, a former correctional officer at the Federal Detention Center in Honolulu, has been sentenced to eight years in federal prison. The sentence was delivered by Senior U.S. District Judge J. Michael Seabright, following Rivera’s guilty plea to charges of sexual abuse of inmates.
Rivera, who served as a correctional officer from 2014 to 2018, admitted to engaging in non-consensual sexual acts with an inmate and sexually abusive conduct with two others under his supervision. According to court information, he manipulated security measures to facilitate these actions. His guilty plea followed an attempted escape on the eve of his trial.
Judge Seabright emphasized the severity of Rivera’s misconduct during sentencing, describing it as a “gross abuse” of authority and power over vulnerable individuals. He noted that Rivera’s actions were contrary to his responsibilities as a correctional officer.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson highlighted the breach of trust represented by Rivera’s actions and stressed the importance of holding such offenders accountable. Sorenson stated that the sentence serves as a warning against sexual misconduct by federal correctional officers.
Anne Walsh, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DOJ Office of the Inspector General Western Region, reiterated the commitment to accountability for those violating public trust. FBI Honolulu Special Agent in Charge David Porter also condemned Rivera’s actions and affirmed the FBI’s dedication to investigating violations of federal law.
The investigation involved collaboration between the DOJ Office of the Inspector General and the FBI. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Ayabe and Trial Attorney Nicole Lockhart, with support from former PIN Deputy Chiefs Jennifer Clarke and Marco Palmieri.
