BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

DEBORD, Ky. — Two of three federal correctional officers accused of assaulting inmates and covering it up have pleaded guilty.

Clinton L. Pauley, 40, of Ironton, Ohio, pleaded guilty Friday to three counts of deprivation of rights under color of law for assaulting three federal inmates at the U.S. Penitentiary Big Sandy in Debord.

Two days earlier, his co-defendant Samuel Patrick, 41, of West Van Lear, pleaded guilty to two counts of deprivation of rights under color of law for assaulting two of the same three inmates.

The third co-defendant, Kevin Pearce, 37, of Inez, a former lieutenant at USP Big Sandy, has not pleaded guilty and is scheduled to begin trial March 6 on three counts of witness tampering, three counts of falsification of records and one count of deprivation of rights under color of law.

Pauley and Patrick pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Edward B. Atkins in Lexington.

Inmate assault 1

Pauley and Patrick admit in their plea agreements that Pauley was in Pearce’s office April 29, 2021, when Patrick took an inmate to the ground and elbowed him repeatedly in the head inside the office. After the inmate was taken to the ground, Pauley assisted Patrick with the assault by repeatedly striking the inmate while Pearce watched. Both men admitted that following the assault, Pearce denied the inmate’s request for protective custody and ordered him taken to a general housing unit.

Pauley and Patrick admitted they entered an unlawful agreement with other corrections officers, including Pearce, to cover up what happened. Their cover-up included writing false reports and pressuring other corrections officers to join the cover-up.

Inmate assault 2

Patrick and Pauley admitted Patrick punished another non-violent inmate March 30, 2021, by pepper-spraying him in the face for walking too slowly to his cell. After the inmate was taken to the ground by other corrections officers and pinned on his stomach, Pauley repeatedly kicked and punched the inmate in the jaw. The plea agreements state Pearce shot the inmate with a pepper ball gun even though the inmate was not aggressive.

Pauley admitted that while escorting the inmate out of the dorm and toward the special housing unit, he took the inmate to the ground twice and kicked him on the second occasion. Pauley states Pearce again used a pepper spray gun on the inmate while he was on the ground during the escort. The inmate’s hands were restrained throughout the escort.

Patrick and Pauley admit they wrote false incident reports and spread a false cover story to cover up the unlawful use of force.

Inmate assault 3

Pauley admitted to assaulting a third inmate March 26, 2021, while escorting the inmate from the lieutenant’s office. Pauley’s plea agreement states he took the inmate to the ground and repeatedly struck him with his knee to punish him for walking too slowly and for a previous non-violent violation of prison rules. The inmate’s hands and legs were restrained.

Pauley admitted he wrote a false incident report to cover up the use of force.

Possible sentences

Each charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years. Should the court choose to follow federal sentencing guidelines, Patrick could be sentenced to 51-63 months and Pauley to 70-87 months.

The two remain free on bond while awaiting sentencing.