Former Muskogee County Jailer Pleads Guilty To Assaulting Inmate

A former detention officer at the Muskogee County jail has pleaded guilty to assaulting an inmate and attempting to cover it up.

Jerrod Lane, 26, pleaded guilty in federal court Wednesday to use of excessive force, violating the civil rights of an inmate, falsifying records and making false statements to the FBI.

Court documents state Lane sprayed the inmate with pepper spray while the inmate was restrained in a chair and not a physical threat, falsified his report to justify his conduct and then lied to the FBI who was investigating the incident.

"Our system of justice relies on corrections officers to follow the laws they are sworn to enforce," said Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Perez of the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division. "The Civil Rights Division will aggressively prosecute corrections officers who use their authority to physically abuse inmates."

A sentencing date for Lane has not yet been set.

1/19/2012 Related Story: Former Muskogee County Jailer Accused Of Assaulting Inmate