DEBORD, Ky. — Three employees of the U.S. Penitentiary Big Sandy in Martin County have been indicted after accusations that they assaulted inmates and tried to cover up the attacks.
Case management coordinator Samuel Patrick, 41, of West Van Lear; captain’s secretary Clinton Paul, 40, of Ironton, Ohio; and Lt. Kevin Pearce Jr., 37, of Inez, were named in a federal indictment handed down Thursday.
Patrick and Pauley are each charged with deprivation of rights under color of law for one alleged assault, while Pauley faces a second count for another assault. Patrick and Pearce are also charged with witness tampering, while all three men are also charged with falsifying records.
The alleged assaults took place in March and April of 2021, and afterwards, the men are accused of writing false reports about the incidents.
Each of the charges carries maximum potential sentences of either 10 or 20 years.
The men have been ordered to appear in Pikeville federal court on June 6 to answer the charges.
A copy of the full indictment appears below:
