John E. Childress Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana
Curtis Doughty, a former corrections officer from Muncie, has been sentenced to two years probation after pleading guilty to charges of deprivation of rights under color of law. The sentencing follows an incident that occurred on February 13, 2024, during which Doughty used excessive force on an inmate at the Henry County Jail.
Court documents reveal that Doughty was part of a scheduled search operation in the jail's inmate housing pod. During this operation, inmates were directed to sit facing a wall while officers searched for contraband. Doughty shot a pepper ball gun at close range into the spine of an inmate identified as M.F., who had turned his head away from the wall. This action resulted in bodily injury to the inmate. After firing the pepper ball gun, Doughty reportedly told other inmates, “congratulations, you all inhale that now,” referring to the gas released by the pepper ball.
The incident was reported by other members of the Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team (SERT), leading to Doughty's removal from duty by a commander who recognized it as an inappropriate use of force. Despite having received extensive training on defensive tactics and appropriate responses to resistance, Doughty's actions were deemed unjustified as M.F. was not actively resisting.
“Corrections officers are empowered by the government to care for inmates," stated John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. He emphasized that misuse of authority endangers both inmates and fellow officers and reiterated commitment to upholding legal accountability.
FBI Indianapolis Acting Special Agent in Charge Dominique Evans remarked on the importance of maintaining dignity and safety for all individuals under correctional care. "When correctional officers act with such disregard for those in their care, it is a betrayal of the oath they took to protect," Evans noted.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI with assistance from the Henry County Sheriff’s Office. U.S. District Judge Matthew P. Brookman imposed the sentence following prosecution by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter A. Blackett and Carolyn A. Haney.
