Federal lawsuit alleges Multnomah County jail deputy groomed incarcerated woman for sex and retaliation followed

Allegations center on staff-inmate power imbalance at the Multnomah County jail system

A federal civil lawsuit filed in Portland alleges a Multnomah County jail corrections deputy cultivated a sexual relationship with a woman while she was incarcerated, using his authority and access inside the facility to initiate and maintain contact. The suit describes a pattern of conduct commonly characterized in litigation as “grooming,” in which the employee allegedly built familiarity and leverage over time before seeking sexual contact.

The civil case proceeds alongside a separate criminal investigation and prosecution involving allegations of sexual abuse of women in custody by a Multnomah County corrections deputy. In that criminal case, a 54-year-old deputy, Edwin Diaz, was arrested in June 2025 after a grand jury indictment charging multiple counts that include second-degree sexual abuse, custodial sexual misconduct, and official misconduct. Investigators said the alleged abuse occurred over several months in 2024 and that additional victims were possible.

What the civil lawsuit says happened

In the federal complaint, the plaintiff alleges that the deputy’s control over day-to-day jail conditions—movement, access, privileges, and discipline—created coercive circumstances in which meaningful consent was not possible. The suit also raises claims that the conduct was not an isolated incident, describing repeated interactions during custody that allegedly escalated toward sexual contact.

The lawsuit seeks monetary damages and names the county in addition to the individual employee, arguing the governmental employer bears legal responsibility if policies, supervision, training, or response systems failed to prevent or promptly stop abuse.

• The plaintiff alleges the deputy initiated inappropriate attention while she was incarcerated.
• The plaintiff alleges the deputy pursued sexual contact while he was working in a custodial role.
• The plaintiff alleges the jail environment increased vulnerability and reduced the ability to report safely.

How oversight and reporting systems are supposed to work

Jails and prisons are required to maintain zero-tolerance standards for sexual abuse and sexual harassment in custody under the federal Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA). PREA frameworks generally require staff training, multiple reporting pathways (including options outside the agency), timely investigations, and protections against retaliation.

In the Multnomah County case that led to the June 2025 arrest, authorities have said the initial allegation surfaced through an anonymous note in October 2024, followed by a request that an outside agency lead the investigation to avoid conflicts of interest. Investigators later reported corroborating accounts through interviews, video, and other evidence.

What happens next

Federal civil litigation typically moves through early motions, evidence exchange, and depositions before any settlement talks or trial scheduling. The criminal case, meanwhile, focuses on whether prosecutors can prove the charged offenses beyond a reasonable doubt. The civil case applies a lower standard of proof and can proceed even if the criminal matter is pending, though timing can be affected by constitutional and procedural issues.

Cases involving custodial sexual misconduct often turn on documentation, surveillance footage, contemporaneous reports, and whether supervision and investigative steps were timely and independent.

The county and the accused employee can deny the allegations and contest liability. Court records will determine which claims survive and what evidence is admissible as the cases advance.