Prison officials get jail time for sexual abuse and assault of prisoners

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The Department of Justice Friday announced sentences for two Kentucky prison officials who pleaded guilty to abusing prisoners.

Gregory Evans, 50, a former Captain with the Madison County Detention Center, in Richmond, Ky., was sentenced to two years in federal prison and three years of supervised release for using unreasonable force against a detainee. Former Federal Bureau of Prisons employee Hosea Lee Jr., 43, was sentenced to 80 months in federal prison and 10 years of supervised release for sexual abuse of a ward. He was a correctional officer and drug treatment specialist at the Federal Medical Center in Lexington, Ky.

While Evans was escorting his victim – identified by the Justice Department as “E.B.” – he grabbed E.B. out of anger, strangled him and punched him repeatedly, according to court documents and statements made at Evans’ sentencing hearing. As he was assaulted, E.B. lost consciousness. However, Evans continued to punch the victim in the back and face.

“E.B. suffered a broken jaw as a result of the assault,” said the Justice Department. “Evans was aware that chokeholds were banned at Madison County Detention Center and that punching and strangling E.B. out of anger was an unreasonable use of force.”

After the incident, Evans made a false incident report and made false statements to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

“The defendant was supposed to be law enforcement; instead, he broke the law and violated the rights of someone in his custody,” said U.S.
Attorney Carlton S. Shier IV for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “Today, he learned the consequence of his criminal conduct. We will continue our efforts to prosecute excessive force violations, and strive to restore some of the public trust that is lost whenever these crimes occur.”

As a drug treatment specialist, Lee conducted interviews regarding treatment eligibility and progress, led drug education classes and provided group and individual counseling to inmates struggling with substance abuse. From August to December 2019, he engaged in sexual acts with four women who participated in his drug treatment classes.

“These sexual acts all occurred in secluded spaces adjacent to the classroom or a closet area in his office,” said the Justice Department.

He pleaded guilty to five counts of sexual abuse in April 2022. Under federal law, Lee must serve 85% of his 80-month prison sentence.

“This defendant abused his authority and the public trust by preying sexually upon women entrusted to his care,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This betrayal of trust by a federal official is intolerable and the Department of Justice hopes that this prosecution brings some much-needed closure to his victims.”

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