BY Sarah smith
ssmith@parkrapidsenterprise.com
A former Hubbard County jailer has been charged with felony criminal sexual conduct after allegedly having an affair with an inmate.
Emily Louise Yliniemi, 36, Ponsford, left the department under pressure in late February. She has been charged with the two felonies by Becker County after Hubbard County Sheriff Cory Aukes referred the case out to avoid conflict of interest.
She makes an initial appearance May 11 in Hubbard County District Court on charges of Criminal Sexual Conduct in the Third Degree and in the Fourth Degree.
The criminal complaint said she “engaged in sexual contact with an inmate of a county correctional system, while the defendant was an employee of the county correctional system.” The acts allegedly took place between April 2, 2014 and July 3, 2014. The inmate was subsequently transferred to Lino Lakes prison.
Yliniemi had worked for the county from 2011 until she resigned Feb. 27.
Aukes expressed disappointment in the charges.
“When I received information I immediately sent the complaint to Becker County,” he said. “We proceeded with disciplinary action after the investigative agency found wrongdoing and we took immediate action.”
Even though the two are considered consenting adults, because a jailer “is in a position of authority” over an inmate, Aukes said it elevates the crime to felony level.
The Third Degree sexual crime carries a maximum punishment of 15 years in prison and/or a $30,000 fine.
The Fourth Degree charge is punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison and/or a $20,000 fine upon conviction.
In addition to the sexual acts, “Yliniemi sent letters and left voicemails for the male while he was incarcerated, telling him that she loved him, that he was her boyfriend, and alluding to sexual acts,” the criminal complaint stated.
She has not been booked into a correctional facility yet, according to calls to Hubbard and Becker counties.
“For obvious reasons this can’t be tolerated,” Aukes said. “That’s why we asked for an independent agency to substantiate the conduct or rule it out.”
Aukes said Yliniemi had formerly worked at the jail before returning in 2011.
She could not be reached for comment Thursday evening. If convicted she would be a registered sex offender.
