Oregon taxpayers are on the hook for $122,500 after the state agreed to settle a federal civil-rights lawsuit stemming from sexual misconduct at Deer Ridge Correctional Institution in Madras. The case centers on a relationship between an inmate and a prison call-center supervisor who was fired in May 2023 and later pleaded guilty to custodial sexual misconduct. Court records and state officials say the settlement also includes a modest personal payment from the former supervisor to the prisoner who sued.
Settlement and terms
According to court filings reported by The Oregonian/OregonLive, the state agreed to pay $122,500 to resolve the civil-rights claim brought by a prisoner identified only by the initials J.M.H. The same filings show that the former call-center supervisor agreed to personally pay $1,000 to the plaintiff as part of the deal. The federal civil case followed the completion of the related criminal investigation, charges and court proceedings.
Criminal case and sentence
Jobett Christine Zamora, who managed the call center where the prisoner worked, pleaded guilty to first-degree custodial sexual misconduct and received a sentence of 10 days in jail and three years of supervised probation, according to KTVZ. Charging documents reviewed by the station state that the encounters occurred at least twice between late 2022 and mid-2023. Prosecutors dropped other counts as part of the plea agreement, court records indicate.
Agency response and firing
State officials and court records show that Zamora was terminated from Oregon Corrections Enterprises on May 26, 2023. A judge later ordered that she not work in a correctional institution or have contact with anyone in custody unless a probation officer signs off, as reported by The Oregonian/OregonLive. In a statement quoted by the outlet, agency director Amber Campbell said the misconduct "violates our mission and the trust placed in our agency." State records cited in coverage list Zamora's annual salary at about $55,464 while she managed the call center.
Where it happened and what OCE does
Deer Ridge is a medium-security state prison near Madras, with the Oregon Department of Corrections listing the institution at 3920 E Ashwood Rd, Madras. The work program at the center of the case operated under Oregon Corrections Enterprises, a semi-independent state agency that places adults in custody in jobs and vocational training inside prisons, which officials say is intended to provide skills and reduce recidivism. For more on the facility, the Oregon DOC prison locations page and local reporting outline additional details.
Legal fallout and next steps
The federal settlement ends the civil lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Portland and resolves the money claims tied to the relationship and the alleged violations of the inmate's rights. With Zamora's criminal plea on the books and the court-ordered employment restrictions already in place, the outcome leaves her with a short jail term, probation and documented limits on any future corrections work. The state's payment closes out the federal claim but does not erase the criminal conviction or the employment consequences that appear in court and agency records.
What this means locally
Advocates and watchdogs have pointed to cases like this as a reminder of how hard it can be to oversee in-prison work programs and to maintain firm boundaries where staff and adults in custody interact. State officials have publicly framed the misconduct as a breach of public trust. The court papers and settlement bring this chapter of the legal fight to a close, even as questions about training, supervision and safeguards at prison job sites linger for local and state leaders to revisit.
