FLUVANNA, Va. (AP) — A former prison guard at Virginia’s largest women’s prison is set to appear in court after being charged with having sex with an inmate.

John Bernard Bland Jr. was arrested Feb. 28 and charged with three counts of carnal knowledge of a prisoner. The 40-year-old Bland is scheduled to appear in Fluvanna County Circuit Court on Friday to inform the judge whether he will hire an attorney or he needs one appointed for him.

Fluvanna County Commonwealth’s Attorney Jeffrey Haislip says Bland is accused in three incidents in June and July of 2011 when he was a corrections officer at Fluvanna Correctional Center for Women.

A Department of Corrections spokesman says Bland worked at Fluvanna until November.

A telephone message left at Bland’s home was not returned.

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)