By: Richard L. Smith
A former corrections officer at Bayside State Prison in Leesburg has been sentenced to 20 months in federal prison for failing to protect two inmates from assault, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
U.S. District Judge Karen M. Williams sentenced Joshua Hand, 35, of Millville in Camden federal court.
Hand had previously pleaded guilty to charges of depriving two inmates of their civil rights by not intervening during assaults that left the inmates with bodily injuries.
Court records indicate that in December 2019, Hand was in the officers' quarters in the prison's kitchen area when the first inmate was summoned to the room.
Shortly after the inmate entered, the exit was blocked, and the inmate was attacked by several other inmates in Hand’s presence.
Hand reportedly watched as multiple inmates restrained the victim and delivered repeated blows to the torso, arms, and legs.
Despite witnessing the assault, Hand did not report the incident to his supervisors or medical staff, as required.
Later that same day, a second inmate was assaulted in the officers' quarters. Another corrections officer struck this inmate multiple times in the legs with a broomstick while Hand stood nearby.
Although he had the opportunity to intervene, Hand again chose not to act or report the incident.
In addition to the 20-month prison sentence, Judge Williams imposed a three-year supervised release period for Hand and fined him $10,000.
