A private investigation firm says the Beaver County Jail is tainted by sex, drugs and violence and that guards are involved in all three.

The findings range from a female guard having sex with a male inmate inside the jail, to a guard providing OxyContin to an accused killer, to an inmate being doused with water and left out in the cold for 45 minutes.

County Controller Richard Towcimak, who chairs the prison board, said board members were "completely disheartened" by the report, released yesterday. "There are some employees who need to be weeded out."

The report notes repeatedly that various allegations would be criminal if proven, and Beaver County District Attorney Tony Berosh said he would turn the matter over to the state attorney general's office.

Mr. Berosh said his office can't handle the investigation because it is prosecuting many of the inmates who could be witnesses and because he sits on the prison board.

The investigation was launched in September after jail guard Michael Sestile testified on behalf of an inmate accused of assaulting guards, listing several instances in which he claimed guards abused prisoners.

"Sestile was making statements under oath that we just couldn't believe," county Commissioner Dan Donatella said.

The county hired Gentile-Meinert and Associates of Monaca, and the private detective firm conducted scores of interviews of inmates, relatives, guards, jail administrators and public investigators.

Gentile-Meinert found little evidence to support Mr. Sestile's statements, but did find a pattern of inappropriate and possibly criminal behavior.

The firm made it clear that many allegations made by both inmates and guards could not be corroborated. It also made it clear that it was not building criminal cases or looking for legal proof; it was merely looking for cases in which there was evidence to warrant further investigation.

Among those were:

The case of Roy Travis Chambliss, an inmate who suffered a broken orbital bone in December 2005. He told investigators he had fought with another inmate and was taken to his cell by several guards. He said he knelt on the bed so they could remove his restraints, but they did not.

He said when he turned his head to see what was going on, a guard punched him in the eye.

Mr. Chambliss signed a medical statement saying he'd injured his eye falling on the bed, but investigators found the timing and wording of the statement suspect.

The case of Dayvon Cox, who on Jan. 18 activated the sprinkler in his cell, and was put outside in the courtyard, handcuffed, in his wet clothes in 22 degree weather. Investigators criticized a jail lieutenant for ordering the action, and Warden William Schouppe for taking only mild disciplinary action against the lieutenant.

The case of a guard who resigned after allegations that she had a sexual relationship with a male inmate in 2005. The county sheriff's department, which is charged with investigating allegations of abuse at the jail, did not pursue the case, though investigators noted that it is a felony for guards to have sex with inmates.

Two other female guards also resigned in previous years amid allegations that they had been involved with inmates, but little detail was available on those cases.

The case of a sergeant who was accused by several female inmates of flirting and provocative behavior. One inmate said he kissed her, fondled her leg and asked her to meet up with him after she was released. She said they did, indeed, have a sexual encounter when she was out of jail.

Investigators said while there was little direct corroboration, the sergeant's own statements that he had repeatedly faced such charges from female inmates and female guards made them suspect that his behavior was inappropriate.

In an interview, the sergeant denied the allegations.

Investigators also noted that drug tests were run on all inmates who had been in jail at least 60 days, long enough for drugs to clear their systems. Twenty-six tested positive, for everything from PCP, to marijuana, to cocaine, to prescription drugs. The report did not say how many were tested.

The investigators said various inmates told them drugs are readily available, both prescription drugs and street drugs.

Among the inmates making drug allegations was Walter Stawarz IV, who told investigators that a corrections officer had bought drugs from him before he was arrested and had supplied him with drugs in jail. Investigators found little evidence to support his statements, however.

Mr. Stawarz also was involved in one of the stranger incidents investigators uncovered. He was found in possession of release documents that had been altered in an apparent attempt at forgery, and jail officials told investigators it would have been hard for him to create the documents without inside help.

Mr. Stawarz told investigators that the same corrections officer who supplied him with drugs had helped him with the papers as well, but again investigators found little supporting evidence.

The officer denied the allegations, saying in an interview, "You can't believe the word of inmates; that's what it comes down to."

The prison board members said they would take quick action to address a laundry list of changes recommended by Gentile-Meinert, from training to the handling of paperwork, grievances and prescription medications -- 113 recommended changes in all.

"We will take the actions necessary to further this investigation," county commissioners' chairman Joe Spanik said. "You can be sure that we will run a system that is handled appropriately in the future."

Warden Schouppe could not be reached for comment.