Allegheny County Jail guard accused of trading perks for sex with inmates

PITTSBURGH — An Allegheny County Jail guard is accused of having sex with inmates in exchange for giving them perks in the jail.

Joshua Reber, 34, was arrested when he showed up at work Wednesday morning. He had been a corrections officer since 2007.

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Police said the investigation began in October when several female inmates told authorities that Reber was known for having sexual relations with inmates.

A 33-year-old woman who was an inmate told police Reber made her a pod worker, which allowed her special benefits, like a private cell, staying out of that cell longer and better coffee, Channel 11's Renee Kaminski reported. The woman said Reber once told her that she "better be naked in her cell" the next morning and that the two stayed in touch after her release.

A 32-year-old inmate told police that she and Reber exchanged notes about when and where they would hook up, and that Reber gave her a picture of pornographic stick figures which he had drawn, Kaminski reported.

"In my opinion they should only have female guards guarding females," Lewis Dickerson, a jail visitor, said.

Reber is charged with two counts of institutional sex assault.

WPXI