US court OKs convictions of ex-jailers, orders resentencing

MUSKOGEE, Okla. (AP) – A federal appeals court has affirmed the convictions of two former Muskogee County Jail officials found guilty of assaulting inmates, but set aside their sentences and ordered a federal judge to resentence them.

Monday’s decision by the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals involved former jail superintendent Raymond Barnes and former assistant superintendent Christopher Brown. They were convicted of conspiring to violate the rights of inmates at the Muskogee County Jail. Brown was also convicted of making false statements to the FBI.

A federal judge handed down prison sentences of one year and a day for Barnes and six months for Brown. But a three-judge panel of the appellate court described the sentences as "unusually lenient" and "far below" applicable federal sentencing guideline ranges. The court ordered both men resentenced.