PIKEVILLE, Ky. — Two former guards at the federal prison in Martin County have been sentenced to at least three years in prison, after pleading guilty to federal charges related to assaulting inmates.

Samuel Patrick, 42, of Blaine, pleaded guilty to two counts of deprivation of rights under color of law, while Clinton Pauley, 42, of Coal Grove, Ohio, pleaded guilty to three counts of the same charge.

Both men admitted to attacking multiple inmates, and the indictment alleged they took steps to cover up the assaults. As part of their plea agreements, charges related to the coverup were dismissed.

Patrick has now been sentenced to 36 months in prison, while Pauley has been sentenced to 40 months. They had faced up to 10 years on each charge.

A third defendant, Kevin Pearce Jr., 38, of Inez, took his case to trial. He was found not guilty of charges related to the assaults, but guilty of falsifying records in an attempt to cover them up.

He will face up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced next month.