NJ Jail Guard Admits To Beating Detainee After Urine Assault

NEWARK, NJ — A correctional officer from Passaic County Jail has admitted to beating up a pretrial detainee and attempting to cover it up, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Sergeant Donald Vinales, 39, pleaded guilty last week after physically assaulting a detainee and conspiring with colleagues to lie to investigators.

Vinales’ charges include one count of deprivation of rights under color of law and one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice.

According to court documents, the altercation took place in January 2021 after the victim, whose identity has not been released, sprayed a mixture containing urine onto a correctional officer.

The following day, Vinales, along with Sergeant Jose Gonzalez, 45, and Correctional Officer Lorenzo Bowden, 39, who were also charged, escorted the victim to an unmonitored location in the jail.

Vinales admitted that he and Gonzalez proceeded to beat the victim to the ground while he was handcuffed, according to the court documents.

The detainee was taken to a nearby hospital the next day as a result of the assault.

The three accused were required to file reports regarding their use of physical force, but never did.

Four months later, the three defendants received federal grand jury subpoenas regarding the investigation.

Vinales admitted that the group agreed not to cooperate with the federal investigation and to say that “nothing had happened to the detainee.”

Bowden later lied to federal investigators during an interview, claiming that the detainee had “not been assaulted,” and that there was never a meeting between those involved with the assault.

Bowden pleaded guilty to conspiracy to obstruct justice on April 18, 2024, and is awaiting sentencing. The charges and allegations against Gonzalez are still pending, officials said.

Vinales faces up to 30 years in prison and up to $500,000 in fines. He is scheduled for sentencing on Sept. 30.