⏱ 3 min read
In a brazen display of corruption, a former USP Big Sandy Lieutenant is caught falsifying records to cover up the brutal beating of an inmate. Michael Childers, 47, of Harold, Ky., was sentenced to 17 months for his role in the assault.
On April 13, 2021, an inmate requested protective custody at the United States Penitentiary Big Sandy in Inez, Ky. But instead of receiving the protection he needed, the inmate was dragged into a meeting with Childers and other staff members, including Lieutenant Terry Melvin, Lieutenant Kevin Pearce, Case Management Coordinator Samuel Patrick, and Captain’s Secretary Clinton Pauley.
According to court documents, the inmate was then assaulted by staff members without justification. Childers, in a desperate bid to cover up the crime, falsified an incident report claiming the inmate had attacked him.
This isn’t an isolated incident. Multiple staff members were involved in the cover-up, and several of them have already faced justice. Lieutenant Melvin was sentenced to 48 months for his role in the conspiracy, while Patrick and Pauley received 36 and 40 months, respectively. Lieutenant Pearce was sentenced to 66 months for writing false reports.
The sentence of former Lieutenant Childers is a stark reminder that those who abuse their power and violate the civil rights of inmates will be held accountable.
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📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Violent Crime
- Defendant: Kentucky
- Location: KY
- Source: DOJ Press Release
