He called jail ‘candy land’ and abused inmates. Managers ignored complaints, suits say.

Three former inmates allegedly subjected to abuse and harassment by a civilian employee that included offers to put money “on their books” in trade for sexual favors filed lawsuits last week, saying the employee’s supervisors ignored complaints about his conduct — which paved the way for continued attacks.

One inmate who complained about Timothy Kaneer to a CBM Managed Services manager was asked by the manager if he was gay, according to three civil suits filed July 9 in Sedgwick County District Court.

That inmate ultimately filed a report on July 17, 2017, with the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office alleging violations of the Prison Rape Elimination Act, a 2003 federal law aimed at identifying and eliminating sexual violence in U.S. prisons.

The Sheriff’s Office’s subsequent investigation led to an arrest and criminal charges for Kaneer in late July 2017.

Kaneer is currently awaiting trial on eight criminal counts associated with the alleged assaults. At the time they were reported, he was employed by CBM, which contracts with the jail as its food services vendor.

The suits say Kaneer worked alongside and supervised the three inmates in the jail’s kitchen. But instead of maintaining a professional relationship with the men, Kaneer made comments about their genitals and sex lives, rubbed up against them and — in at least one case — threatened to have an inmate placed in segregation if he reported the behavior to deputies, the lawsuits say.

At least two CBM managers and one CBM employee received complaints about Kaneer and did nothing but tell him “not to tell crude jokes,” the suits say. In addition to brushing off complaints, CBM was negligent for hiring Kaneer without “an appropriate background check” and for not firing him before the abuse escalated.

In an emailed response to The Eagle’s inquiry about the lawsuits, CBM spokeswoman Debbie Albert said that the company is “unable to comment on pending or ongoing litigation.” She did not immediately answer a follow-up email asking about Kaneer’s employment dates.

Attempts to reach Kaneer were not successful. He did not have an attorney listed for him in court records connected to the civil lawsuits.

Mark Schoenhofer, the Wichita defense attorney representing Kaneer in his criminal case, said by email that “Mr. Kaneer denies the allegations. We believe the jury will see through the claims of these inmates.”

The Wichita attorney representing the inmates in the cases, Kurt Kerns, did not respond to phone and email messages seeking comment. The Eagle is not naming the inmates because they are the alleged victims of sexual assaults. None were still in the jail as of Friday, records show.

CBM has a three-year contract to provide food and commissary services to inmates at the jail, Sheriff’s Office Capt. Jared Schechter said in an emailed response to questions. The contract started in February 2017 — about five months before Kaneer’s arrest — and has two one-year options to extend after 2020.

Kaneer no longer works at the jail, Schechter said. His security access was revoked after the allegations involving the inmates arose, he said.

One of the lawsuits says Kaneer “described the jail as ‘candy land.’”

Abuse alleged in the suits includes Kaneer:

• Making remarks to the inmates about their genitalia and asking them to not wear underwear.
• Touching inmates inappropriately.
• Repeatedly kicking an inmate’s leg and twisting the inmate’s arm while they were in a walk-in freezer together and demanding the inmate tell people he’d been injured during a fall. That inmate sought treatment in the jail’s clinic.
• Inviting at least one inmate into a freezer “to do stuff” where they’d be out of surveillance camera view.
• Offering to put money on inmates’ books if they “acted right,” including at least one incident on July 14, 2017, where he said he’d trade $20 for oral sex.
• Threatening to have at least one inmate placed in segregation if he complained to jail authorities.

When one of the inmates complained to a CBM manager about the alleged sexual and physical harassment, the manager responded by asking the inmate “are you gay?” the suits say.

“CBM, through its supervisors, knew of and deliberately disregarded warnings that Defendant Tim Kaneer had been sexually and physically attacking inmates,” the lawsuits says.

The company “failed to keep a closer watch over him” as well as “ignored several opportunities to stop the abuse by terminating Defendant Kaneer’s position.”

Because CBM knew about the conduct and “failed to take action to stop it, Defendant CBM is negligent” and “is vicariously responsible for the negligence of its managers,” the suits say.

In criminal court, Kaneer is charged with two counts of aggravated battery, three counts of sexual battery and three counts of mistreatment of a confined person. He is free on bond while awaiting an October jury trial.

He has pleaded not guilty to charges.

Last summer, in announcing Kaneer’s arrest, Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeff Easter said the jail would evaluate whether more security cameras were needed in the kitchen and whether a deputy should be present there at all times.

Schechter, the jail captain, said in his email that ultimately no new cameras were added.

Instead, he said, “the placement of some cameras was adjusted and staff is encouraged to do more rounds within the kitchen.”

This story was originally published July 16, 2018 at 5:50 AM.