A former detention officer at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center is set to be sentenced next month following a federal guilty plea for the sexual abuse of a ward.
David Courvelle, 56, admitted to multiple counts of sexual contact with a Nicaraguan detainee while she was under his direct supervisory authority at the Basile-based facility.
The sentencing, scheduled for April 10, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Robert Summerhays, follows a plea agreement reached at the end of December.
Court documents reveal that Courvelle, a contract employee for the GEO Group Inc., engaged in a coercive relationship with the victim, identified as C.H., between May and July.
Prosecutors detailed how Courvelle orchestrated encounters inside a janitorial closet, often enlisting other detainees to serve as lookouts to evade detection by facility staff.
The investigation also uncovered that Courvelle smuggled contraband to the woman, including jewelry, food, letters, and personal photographs.
Of particular concern to advocates is the allegation that Courvelle leveraged access to the woman’s daughter, providing photographs of the child as a means of psychological control.
The abuse was discovered on July 16, when staff members witnessed the pair exiting a closet together, leading to Courvelle’s immediate transfer and subsequent resignation on July 30.
During interviews with the ICE Office of Inspector General, Courvelle initially denied the allegations before confessing to his actions approximately thirty minutes into questioning.
The South Louisiana ICE Processing Center has faced heightened scrutiny as a central hub for President Trump’s expanded immigration enforcement and deportation operations.
Courvelle faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for the felony charge.
The case has reignited national debate regarding the oversight of private contractors operating federal detention centers across the country.
Advocacy groups have criticized the initial characterization of the abuse as a romantic relationship, arguing that power imbalances in detention make consent impossible.
Courvelle remains free on a $10,000 bond pending the final judgment in Lafayette next month.