Mohawk woman impregnated in jail

Two Franklin County Jail employees have been suspended with pay pending the outcome of an investigation into the pregnancy of a Mohawk woman, Rhonda Amber Dufoe, 24, who has been incarcerated since November 2008. Dufoe, from Tsi Snaihne (Snye), Akwesasne is reportedly five to six months pregnant.

A corrections officer and a deputy sheriff responsible for his supervision have both been suspended pending the outcome of an investigation by the New York State Police’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

Dufoe confessed her pregnancy to a female corrections officer in late March of this year and allegedly told the woman she had been raped. Conjugal visits are not permitted at the Franklin County Jail and Dufoe has spent every day behind bars since her arrest on Nov. 18, 2008 for the murder of Thomas Hathaway at his Akwesasne home in September of 2008. Both Dufoe and her boyfriend, Richard Oakes, 38 were charged with murdering Hathaway by shooting him and burning his home afterwards. However, on April 8, 2010 Dufoe took a plea deal and admitted to manslaughter in exchange for up to 20 years in prison. She faced charges of 2nd degree murder and up to 50 years in prison prior to the plea deal.

Just days after Dufoe’s plea, it was made public that she is close to six months pregnant.

“I can confirm there is a sexual-assault investigation under way by the State Police and that DNA samples are being collected voluntarily from employees of Franklin County, but that’s it,” Franklin County District Attorney Derek Champagne told the Plattsburgh Press-Republican. Champagne did not immediately respond to requests by Indian Time for further information, nor did the Franklin County Sheriff’s office.

Dufoe’s public defender, Thomas Soucia, did not wish to comment on his client’s case and directed questions to the DA’s office.