LOUISIANA – A former prison guard from Louisiana plead guilty to being involved in the beating of an escaped and lying about it to the FBI, authorities announced today.
Mark Sharp, 33, of Amite, Louisiana, pleaded guilty today to one count of deprivation of rights under color of law and one count of making a false statement to the FBI.
Sharp, who was a former captain at the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola, faces up to 15 years in prison, a fine up to $500,000 and up to three years of supervised release following his prison term, officials said.
According to the evidence, on Jan. 24, 2010, Sharp joined in a search to apprehend an inmate who had escaped from his assigned location.
After the inmate was captured, Sharp and two other officers – Kevin Groom and C.B. – were ordered to escort the inmate, who was handcuffed behind his back, to the prison’s medical unit, officials stated.
The three officers got into the bed of a truck with the inmate. Sharp admitted that, during the drive to the medical unit, he repeatedly struck the inmate with a police baton. Sharp also saw C.B. kick the inmate in his head and shoulder area. Sharp then lied to the FBI during the federal civil rights investigation of the beating.
Two other former state corrections officials have been charged and convicted in connection with the attack on the inmate.
Authorities said Kevin Groom and Jason Giroir have both been charged and pleaded guilty to falsifying records in a federal investigation and making false statements to the FBI. Groom and Giroir await sentencing.