VALLEY CITY (AP) - At least three Barnes County jailers have been charged with sexually assaulting female inmates in the past 25 years, before the most recent charges against Moe Gibbs, records show.

Six charges of Class A felony sexual imposition were filed against Gibbs on Thursday.

Leann Bertsch, the state corrections director, said it be time to look into whether changes are needed at the jail.

"We take these things very seriously, and we'll certainly be following up with the Barnes County facility to determine what corrective measures they may need to take," she said.

Gibbs is accused of sexual assaults involving five female inmates from May to September. He's also pleaded not guilty in the death of Valley City State University student Mindy Morgenstern.

In April 2005, Kevin James Schudar pleaded guilty to a felony charge of sexual abuse of a ward. He was accused of sexually assaulting a woman prisoner in November 2004, and was sentenced to a year and a day in prison, which was suspended. The victim says she's planning a lawsuit.

The Forum newspaper says its files show two county jailers pleaded guilty to sexual assault charges involving female inmates in 1981.

Richard Fath, of Valley City, was originally charged with a Class A felony of gross sexual imposition in 1981 for sexually assaulting a juvenile girl held at the county juvenile detention center, according to the Forum.

Fath, the chief Barnes County jailer at the time, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of sexual assault a misdemeanor and was sentenced to one year, according to a to a Forum article from Oct. 29, 1981.

The sentence was suspended when Fath was admitted to the State Hospital in Jamestown for a psychiatric evaluation and treatment if prescribed.

Marvin Dahl, also a Barnes County jailer at the time of the incident, pleaded guilty in 1981 to a charge of sexual assault on a juvenile girl at the detention center, according to a July 23, 1981, Forum article.

Judge C. James Cieminski fined Dahl $100 and sentenced him to 15 days in jail, which the judge suspended, citing Dahl's cooperation and years of service to the county, according to the article.

The judge also asked for Dahl to be reinstated, but Dahl was fired.

Bertsch said Friday that the penalties for sexual abuse of a ward will be looked at "because right now the penalties are very minimal."

The offense is currently a Class C felony, punishable by a maximum five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

Jail rules require a female jailer to be on call but not on duty if there are female inmates.

If a jailer needs to search or pat down a female inmate, the female jailer is called, Bertsch said.

Sexual assaults on inmates are not common, she said.

Barnes County jailers make between $9.50 and $10 an hour, auditor Ed McGough said.

Phone messages left with head jailer Jason Lang and Barnes County Sheriff Randy McClaflin were not returned Friday. McClaflin also is the Barnes County jail administrator.