A juvenile counselor has admitted to sexually exploiting teen boys at a state-run detention center.
Maya Hayes, a juvenile counsellor once known as “Big Foot,” pleaded guilty to a felony sex crime following years of alleged abuse at Brookwood Youth Facility in upstate New York, according to the New York Post.
Hayes Coerced as Many as Five Boys into Sexual Acts
As reported by the Post, at least five boys, some as young as 15, accused Hayes of coercing them into sex acts, often using favors and manipulation. Hayes, 47, now faces up to 2 1/2 years in prison and could receive 10 years of post-release supervision, with a requirement to register as a sex offender for at least two decades.
The Post said that Hayes subjected the boys to repeated sexual abuse. Hayes denied the claims in court papers after she was arrested in April on 65 counts of rape and criminal sexual acts. Staff at Brookwood were allegedly aware of the abuse and even joked with residents about her behavior, the report said.
One Victim Filed Lawsuit Against Hayes, Claimed She ‘Sexually Assaulted’ Him More Than 30 Times
A Staten Island resident filed a lawsuit in March claiming that he was a victim of Hayes while he was a teenager. The plaintiff, identified only as Z.F. in court documents, alleges in the lawsuit that Hayes “sexually assaulted” him about 30 times after he entered the facility in 2021.
The victim is 21 now and was 17 when he first entered Brookwood, according to the filing. The sexual abuse began just months after he entered the facility, the lawsuit alleges.
Vicitm Alleged the Sexual Abuse Took Place During Counselling Sessions, Paper was Used to Cover Glass on the Door
The sexual abuse occurred during what were supposed to be counseling sessions in an office where papers were used to partially cover the glass on the door, according to the lawsuit. The plaintiff alleges that he was “forcibly raped” and sexually assaulted and that he “was not the only resident sexually abused by Defendant Hayes.”
