The attorney representing the two Butler County Prison inmates alleging sexual assault by a vendor’s worker said his clients need to be released because of their trauma.

Michael Pisanchyn of the Pisanchyn Law Firm, which has offices in Pittsburgh and Scranton, said the inmates should be furloughed to avoid any future problems, including fallout from reporting the inappropriate sexual behavior.

“They’re very nervous and scared where they’re at,” Pisanchyn said.

He said his clients still have fears staying in the prison despite the May 10 removal of the defendant, Luis Quinones, 27, of Butler, who worked for Trinity Services Group, from the building.

“Anyone would have concerns remaining there,” Pisanchyn said.

He stressed the inmates would not be free to do whatever they want.

“House arrest is no picnic,” Pisanchyn said.

He said the county has not been updating him about what is happening about the case.

“I don’t understand why someone won’t speak to me,” he said.

Pisanchyn said no one told him Quinones was the defendant or what charges he faced.

“Nobody’s told us anything,” he said.

Pisanchyn clarified his concerns by saying he did not mean the prison hindered the two inmates contacting anyone outside the jail.

Quinones faces counts of institutional sexual assault, criminal attempt of institutional sexual assault and indecent assault.

Pisanchyn said the inmates were not identified in his petitions to furlough to avoid embarrassing them further.

He said the court knows which inmates he is representing so there is no issue withholding names from the petitions.

“It’s just semantics,” Pisanchyn said.

The criminal complaint against Quinones does identify the inmates, but the Butler Eagle does not identify victims of alleged sexual assault.

One of the inmates was incarcerated for violating probation after being convicted of use/possession of drug paraphernalia. The second prisoner pleaded guilty to burglary.

Pisanchyn questioned what the proper procedure should be for conducting an inquiry into the allegations.

“I’m not sure how the investigation would be handled,” he said.

But Pisanchyn did not criticize county District Attorney Richard Goldinger, a prison board member, for having his office handle the investigation.

Goldinger said his office, not the state, would be the appropriate investigating body.

“We investigate all the crimes down there,” he said.

Sheriff Mike Slupe, prison board chairman, said he has no problem with Goldinger’s office conducting the investigation.

“The district attorney’s office is the most appropriate and capable agency to investigate crimes or incidents wherever the district attorney deems fit,” Slupe said.

According to the criminal complaint, one of the two inmates stated he was assaulted April 15 by Quinones, who grabbed the inmate in a sensitive area.

Both inmates allege Quinones hit each of them on the rear — with his hand in one case and a food tray in another — in seperate incidents in April 10 and May 8. They also claim Quinones made suggestive remarks.

According to the complaint, Quinones did not deny the allegations when interviewed by county Chief Detective Chuck Barger.

According to Barger’s narrative in the affidavit, “When I eventually explained to Luis why I was there, he sputtered and stammered, but never denied the allegations.”

Quinones later admitted he was gay, but said he was innocent of the accusations.

According to the affidavit, Quinones admitted making suggestive comments: “(Luis said) he is openly gay and that there are times that he does make suggestive comments at the prison, but that is because the inmates say stuff to him.”

County President Judge Thomas Doerr will consider Pisanchyn’s request at a hearing set for June 7.

Goldinger said his office would argue at the hearing that the inmates should remain in prison.