A former deputy from the Richmond County Sheriff's Office has admitted guilt to federal civil rights charges related to an assault on a jail detainee. Dantavion Jones, aged 33, is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to Deprivation of Civil Rights Under Color of Law. This plea could result in a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison, along with fines and restitution, followed by up to three years of supervised release. Federal sentences do not include parole.
The announcement was made by Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Jill E. Steinberg for the Southern District of Georgia, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Sean Burke of the FBI Atlanta Field Office.
According to the plea agreement, Jones was involved in responding to an incident at Richmond County’s Charles D. Webster Detention Center on May 7, 2022. During this event, inmates had caused flooding in part of the jail. A pretrial detainee identified as Victim 1 was handcuffed and face-down on the ground without posing a threat when another deputy indicated that he wanted his handcuffs removed. After an unsuccessful attempt by a jailer to unlock them, Jones unlocked and removed the handcuffs from Victim 1. Subsequently, another deputy assaulted the detainee while Jones did not intervene.
Two other former staff members from the Sheriff’s Office are also awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to similar charges in this case: former Corporal Daniel D’Aversa and former jailer Melissa Morello.
U.S. District Court Judge J. Randal Hall will set a date for Jones's sentencing following a pre-sentence investigation conducted by U.S. Probation Services.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney George J.C. Jacobs III from the Southern District of Georgia and Anita T. Channapati from the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division.