United States Attorney Jill E. Steinberg | U.S. Department of Justice
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, 33, faces 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, fines, restitution, and 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 an incident at Richmond County’s Charles D. Webster Detention Center on May 7, 2022. He responded with other personnel to manage inmates who had caused flooding. A pretrial detainee identified as Victim 1 was handcuffed and face-down on the ground when another deputy called for his handcuffs to be removed. After a failed attempt by a jailer to unlock them, Jones 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—former Corporal Daniel D’Aversa and former jailer Melissa Morello—are also awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty in connection with this case.
U.S. District Court Judge J. Randal Hall will determine Jones's sentencing following a pre-sentence investigation by U.S. Probation Services.
The FBI is conducting the investigation, with prosecution led by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorney George J.C. Jacobs III and Anita T. Channapati from the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division.
