PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — The Allegheny County District Attorney is reacting to accusations against guards at SCI Pittsburgh on the North Side.

Their alleged actions were shrouded in secrecy for weeks before KDKA Investigator Marty Griffin broke new details on the case.

Sources say as many as a dozen inmates may have been sexually assaulted. Sources also say as many as eight corrections officers from SCI Pittsburgh could face possible criminal charges.

A woman says her boyfriend was accused of raping an 11-year-old Pittsburgh girl, convicted and sent to SCI Pittsburgh.

Now she says he’s part of a grand jury investigation into guards pointing out sex offenders and then sexually assaulting them or allowing other inmates to assault them, sometimes using a broom handle.

The woman says her boyfriend was identified by jail guards to other inmates as a sex offender as soon as he was placed in the jail.

“The guard actually told other inmates what he was in there for,” she said. “The guard let it out on the floor.”

“He told them that he’s in there for a sex crime,” she added.

Sources say an Allegheny County grand jury is looking into allegations a small group of vigilante corrections officers participated in the assaults in some manner.

“I understand there’s information out there, but I’m not permitted to talk about it at this point,” District Attorney Stephen Zappala said.

The investigation could take until late June or early July to be completed.

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