KY Prison Guards Assaulted Inmates, Tried To Cover It Up: Authorities

LONDON, KY — Three federal correctional officers in Kentucky are facing charges after authorities say they assaulted two inmates and attempted to cover it up, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Officers Samuel Patrick, 41, and Clinton Pauley, 40, were indicted for assaulting an inmate and attempting to cover it up, authorities said in a release. Lt. Kevin Pearce, 37, was also indicted for helping cover up the assault, officials said.

Pauley was also charged with assaulting a second inmate and attempting to cover up that assault, authorities said.

According to the indictment, Patrick and Pauley assaulted an inmate at U.S. Penitentiary Big Sandy in Inez in April 2021. The inmate was injured in the assault, authorities said. Patrick, Pauley and Pearce then attempted to cover up the assault by falsifying a report, the indictment alleges.

Patrick and Pearce were also charged with witness tampering after authorities said they pressured another correctional officer to write a false report that left out the assault.

The indictment also said Pauley physically assaulted a different inmate in March 2021. The inmate was also injured, and Pauley attempted to cover up the assault by writing a false report, authorities said.

If found guilty of assault, the three men could face up 10 years in prison. They could also face 20 years in prison on the charges of witness tampering and filing false reports.