Ocala, Florida – Heather Lee Kussoff (31, Cape Coral) has been charged with making a false statement to a federal law enforcement agency. If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.
According to the indictment and information presented in court, Kussoff worked as a correctional officer at the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex (FCC) in Sumter County. In 2014, she developed a personal relationship with an inmate at one of the penitentiaries. In direct violation of her job responsibilities and training, Kussoff corresponded with the inmate in a romantic capacity, shared extensive details of her personal life, and communicated directly with members of the inmate’s family.
When confronted by federal authorities in March 2015, Kussoff lied under oath about the existence of the relationship and then abruptly resigned from the Bureau of Prisons.
