Kansas dental lab employee sentenced to 32 months in prison for abuse

A former lab instructor at the Topeka (Kan.) Correctional Facility was sentenced to 32 months in prison after being found guilty of unlawful sexual relations with an inmate, according to The Salina Journal.

Tomas Co was accused by his fellow employees of sexual harassment and unwanted physical contact. Six victims claimed they had witnessed and experienced sexual harassment.

In 2017, the Kansas Department of Corrections refused to remove Mr. Co from his position after receiving multiple complaints from women in the dental lab program, according to The Topeka Capital-Journal. The department reopened its investigation into Mr. Co in 2018 after receiving additional complaints from women in the lab program and an employee of Mr. Co.

A jury convicted Mr. Co on one of the six counts of unlawful sexual relations in January. On March 7, he received his 32-month sentence. Mr. Co will also have to register as a sex offender for 25 years.

Editor's note: This story was updated March 10. 

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