Another former Richmond County deputy has pleaded guilty to violating the civil rights of a jail detainee.
Dantavion Jones, 33, faces up to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty in U.S. District Court to deprivation of civil rights under the color of law. His sentencing is at a later date. There is no parole in the federal system.
MORE: Richmond County deputies plead guilty in jail assault
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Jones was a deputy with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office responding to a May 7, 2022, incident in which inmates caused flooding at the Charles B. Webster Detention Center.
According to court documents, Jones removed handcuffs from an inmate, allowing another deputy to “repeatedly punch the detainee and place him in a chokehold.” Jones failed to attempt to intervene or stop the assault.
Two other former sheriff’s office personnel, Daniel D’Aversa, 52, and Melissa Morello, 27, await sentencing after previously pleading guilty to the same charge as Jones.
The three were among six sheriff’s office personnel arrested and fired after video surfaced of the incident.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney George J.C. Jacobs III and Anita T. Channapati of the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division.
