Canadian County jailer pleads guilty to violating civil rights of detainee

OKLAHOMA CITY – Jason Barber, 41, of Bethany, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty Thursday to depriving a pretrial detainee of his civil rights by using unreasonable force, announced Mark A. Yancey, United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma.

According to charges filed on Oct. 31, Barber was a ranking Lieutenant and employed as a Correctional Officer during 2014 at the Canadian County Jail in El Reno, Oklahoma.  On Dec. 23, 2014, an individual identified as L.T. was held at the jail after an arrest, but before conviction of a crime.

The charges allege that Barber willfully deprived L.T. of his constitutional right to due process of law when he struck L.T. while participating in a disciplinary hearing concerning L.T.  Because Barber was acting under color of law, his unreasonable use of force violated federal criminal law.  In the absence of bodily injury, the offense is a misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in prison.

Thursday Barber pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Shon T. Erwin.  Barber and the government have agreed he should receive a sentence of probation.  He could also be fined up to $100,000.  He will be sentenced in approximately 90 days.

This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI and the Investigations Division of the Canadian County Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia E. Barry is prosecuting the case.