BASILE, La. — A former Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention officer has pleaded guilty in federal court after admitting to sexually abusing a Nicaraguan woman while she was being held in an immigration detention facility in Louisiana.
David Courvelle, 56, worked as a contract detention officer at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center in Basile. Federal prosecutors say Courvelle exploited his authority over the woman, who was detained at the facility and separated from her young daughter, by coercing her into repeated sexual encounters while she remained under his supervision.
According to court records, the abuse occurred multiple times in 2025 while the woman was in federal custody. Prosecutors stated that Courvelle used his position to manipulate and control the detainee, offering privileges and access to items connected to her child — including photographs and correspondence — in exchange for sexual acts.
Because the woman was legally unable to leave the facility or freely refuse contact with a detention officer, federal law classifies any sexual contact as abuse, regardless of claims of consent. Authorities emphasized that detainees are considered wards of the government and are especially vulnerable to coercion.
Investigators say Courvelle’s conduct came to light after staff members observed suspicious interactions between him and the detainee, including the pair exiting restricted areas together. An internal investigation followed, and Courvelle was removed from duty before eventually resigning.
Initially, Courvelle denied wrongdoing during interviews with federal investigators. He later admitted to the sexual abuse and entered a guilty plea to a felony charge of sexual abuse of a person in federal custody. The offense carries a possible sentence of up to 15 years in prison.
The case has intensified scrutiny of ICE detention facilities and the use of private contractors to staff them. Advocacy groups argue that the incident reflects broader systemic failures in oversight and accountability, particularly involving the treatment of women and asylum seekers held in detention.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for later this year. The victim’s immigration case remains pending, and federal officials have not disclosed her current status.
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