PORTLAND – Two women, both former employees at the Maine Correctional Center, have been charged with gross sexual assault after prison officials say they had sexual relationships with inmates.

“This is a question of employees crossing boundaries and being inappropriate,” superintendent Scott Burnheimer said. “Any time there’s sex with staff people, whether consensual or not, it’s a felony.” Even consensual sexual relationships between prisoners and prison staff are illegal under state law because a prisoner’s ability to refuse is compromised.

April Archer, 37, of Westbrook was charged with five counts of gross sexual assault for allegedly having inappropriate sexual contact with a single prisoner on five separate occasions in July. She was also charged with trafficking in prison contraband.

In a separate case, Bethany Bondenheim, 30, of South Paris was charged Friday with a single count of gross sexual assault for allegedly having sex with a prisoner.

The women worked in the prison as a medical technician and as a drug and alcohol counselor.