Stacy Bloodsworth, Jail Assault and Conspiracy, Abbeville GA, 2023

Former Wilcox County Sheriff Stacy Bloodsworth was handed a 10-year sentence today for orchestrating an assault on an inmate within the county jail and subsequently conspiring to cover up the incident. Accompanying Bloodsworth in judgment were his son, Austin Bloodsworth, who received an 18-month prison term; Willie James Caruthers, another former inmate-trustee, sentenced to the same term; Timothy King Jr., a former drug task force agent, given six months behind bars; and Jailer Casey Owens who was spared imprisonment but placed on probation.

The brutal assault took place in 2009, when Sheriff Bloodsworth, fueled by anger over an inmate’s possession of a cell phone, ordered the inmates out of their cells. Along with several others, he physically attacked the men, leaving one with a broken jaw that required medical attention. Bloodsworth even attempted to put the jaw back together using a wrench.

During his plea hearing in 2012, Bloodsworth confessed to crafting a false narrative to shift blame away from himself and other law enforcement officials. He directed Caruthers, Austin Bloodsworth, King, and Owens to perpetuate this lie if questioned about the incident. Despite being aware of its falsity, Bloodsworth instructed them to document the tale in reports.

“Today’s sentence reflects that law enforcement officers who assault inmates in their custody and make false statements erode the trust of the people they have sworn to protect,” stated Roy L. Austin Jr., Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. The U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, Michael Moore, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the necessity for law enforcement to protect and serve.

This case was meticulously investigated by the FBI, with Trial Attorney Christine M. Siscaretti and Special Litigation Counsel Gerard V. Hogan leading the prosecution from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.