Acting Attorney General Andrew J. Bruck today announced criminal charges against Department of Corrections Associate Administrator Sean St. Paul and four correctional police officers—a major and three senior officers—related to an incident in which inmates were assaulted and seriously injured at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women on Jan. 12, 2021.

A total of 15 defendants—including Associate Administrator St. Paul, a major, a lieutenant, four sergeants, and eight senior correctional police officers—now have been charged in the ongoing criminal investigation by the Attorney General’s Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) and the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office, conducted with the assistance of the New Jersey Department of Corrections (DOC) Special Investigations Division.

Associate Administrator St. Paul was the highest-ranking DOC official at Edna Mahan on the night of the assaults, and is the highest-ranking person to be criminally charged in this investigation. Within DOC, the top-ranking civilian official at a prison holds the title of “administrator,” but the person who held that title at Edna Mahan was on leave during the January 12 assaults. At the time, two officials—St. Paul and an assistant superintendent—shared responsibilities as the facility’s top-ranking officials, although it was St. Paul who was on duty on the night in question.

Also among those charged is Major Ryan Valentin. Within DOC, major is the highest rank that a correctional police officer can obtain while working at a prison.

“We promised to follow the facts wherever they go, and that’s exactly what we’ve done,” said Acting Attorney General Bruck. “We are holding accountable everyone who was involved in January’s brutal assaults, from the line officers working the cell block to the highest-ranking prison official on duty that night. With today’s charges, we are making clear that even the senior-most leadership at Edna Mahan must be held responsible for their illegal conduct.”

“We will continue our investigation until we have charged all who played a role in these unconscionable assaults,” said OPIA Executive Director Thomas Eicher. “We are committed to protecting those in state custody, and that means prosecuting any officers or officials who take action to harm inmates or who fail to intervene against and report such conduct in violation of their duties.”

Acting Attorney General Bruck and Executive Director Eicher urged anyone with information related to this incident to report it by calling 1-844-OPIA-TIPS.

Between approximately 10:30 p.m. on Jan. 11 and 1:15 a.m. on Jan. 12, 2021, DOC officers and supervisors assigned to the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility (EMCF) in Clinton, N.J., conducted forced cell extractions of inmates located in the Restorative Housing Unit (RHU) complex. The 15 defendants charged to date allegedly directed or participated in the forced cell extractions.

The following defendants were charged today by complaint-summons with the listed offenses:

Former Associate Administrator Sean St. Paul, 55, of Newark, N.J.
Official Misconduct (2nd Degree)
Conspiracy (2nd Degree)
Tampering with Public Records or Information (3rd Degree)
The complaint against St. Paul alleges the following conduct:

St. Paul allegedly approved, ordered, and was present at the facility for forced cell extractions that were done in a manner contrary to DOC policy for the purpose of punishing inmates in the RHU. During the cell extractions, members of the extraction teams allegedly used excessive and unreasonable force, violating DOC policies and injuring “Victim 1” and “Victim 2.” St. Paul allegedly failed to make proper notifications of these events as required by DOC policies and procedures. He also sent an email to his superiors at DOC in which he allegedly falsely reported the facts surrounding the forced cell extractions by not revealing that unnecessary and unreasonable force was used against Victims 1 and 2, or that Victims 1 and 2 suffered injuries, and by falsely stating that inmates apologized to him.

Major Ryan Valentin, 44, of Bloomfield, N.J.
Official Misconduct (2nd Degree)
Conspiracy (2nd Degree)
Tampering with Public Records or Information (3rd Degree)
The complaint against Valentin alleges the following conduct:

Major Valentin allegedly approved, ordered, and was present for forced cell extractions that were done in a manner contrary to DOC policy for the purpose of punishing inmates in the RHU. During the forced cell extractions, members of the extraction teams allegedly used excessive and unreasonable force, violating DOC policies and injuring “Victim 1” and “Victim 2.” Valentin also sent an email to his superiors at DOC in which he allegedly falsely reported the facts surrounding the forced cell extractions by not revealing that unnecessary and unreasonable force was used against Victims 1 and 2, or that Victims 1 and 2 suffered injuries.

Senior Correctional Police Officer Desiree Lewis, 33, of Elizabeth, N.J.
Aggravated Assault (2nd Degree)
Tampering with Public Records or Information (3rd Degree)
The complaint against Lewis alleges the following conduct:

Lewis was part of the team that extracted Victim 2.  During the cell extraction, one team member allegedly deployed OC spray without giving Victim 2 an opportunity to comply, in violation of DOC directives. Instead the team immediately entered Victim 2’s cell to forcibly remove her. During the extraction, Lewis allegedly forcibly assaulted Victim 2, who was not resisting, or aided and abetted another officer’s unauthorized use of force upon Victim 2, as that officer allegedly punched Victim 2 in the head and neck area approximately 28 times. Lewis had a legal duty to prevent this unauthorized use of force, which resulted in Victim 2 suffering a concussion. Lewis also allegedly wrote a report that falsely reported the facts surrounding the forced cell extractions, including by not revealing that OC spray was used against Victim 2 without giving her an opportunity to comply, that unnecessary and unreasonable force was used against Victim 2, or that Victim 2 suffered injuries as a result.

Senior Correctional Police Officer Brandon Burgos, 22, of Roseland, N.J.
Tampering with Public Records or Information (3rd Degree)
The complaint against Burgos alleges the following conduct:

Burgos participated in the forced cell extractions of various inmates, including Victim 2. It is alleged that during those extractions DOC officers purposely or knowingly attempted to cause serious bodily injury to inmates by using excessive and unreasonable force in violation of DOC policy. Burgos allegedly wrote a report that falsely reported the facts surrounding the forced cell extractions, including by not revealing that OC spray was used against Victim 2 without giving her an opportunity to comply, that unnecessary and unreasonable force was used against Victim 2, or that Victim 2 suffered injuries as a result.

Senior Correctional Police Officer Marika Sprow, 32, of West Orange, N.J.
Tampering with Public Records or Information (3rd Degree)
The complaint against Sprow alleges the following conduct:

Sprow participated in the forced cell extractions of various inmates, including Victim 2. It is alleged that during those extractions DOC officers purposely or knowingly attempted to cause serious bodily injury to inmates by using excessive and unreasonable force in violation of DOC policy. Sprow allegedly wrote a report that falsely reported the facts surrounding the forced cell extractions, including by not revealing that OC spray was used against Victim 2 without giving her an opportunity to comply, that unnecessary and unreasonable force was used against Victim 2, or that Victim 2 suffered injuries as a result.
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Second-degree charges carry a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $150,000. The second-degree official misconduct charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison without possibility of parole. The second-degree aggravated assault charge carries a mandatory term of parole ineligibility equal to 85 percent of the sentence imposed. The third-degree charge of tampering with public records carries a sentence of three to five years in state prison, with a mandatory two-year period of parole ineligibility, and a fine of up to $10,000.

The charges are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

Acting Attorney General Bruck commended all of the attorneys, detectives and investigators who are conducting the ongoing investigation for the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability, Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office, and DOC Special Investigations Division. The lead attorneys are Deputy Attorney General Jonathan Gilmore, Deputy Attorney General Michael McDonald, OPIA Integrity Bureau Deputy Chief Debra Conrad, Deputy Attorney General Caroline Oliveira, and Assistant Prosecutor Kelly Daniels of the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office, under the supervision of OPIA Corruption Bureau Chief Peter Lee and OPIA Deputy Director Anthony Picione.

Following the incident, the Attorney General’s Office deployed victim-witness advocates to speak with the inmates who were targeted and to help them obtain the medical and psychological services they needed. Acting Attorney General Bruck also thanked those advocates.

On June 30, 2021, the Attorney General’s Office released all video recordings related to the incident. The recordings are posted online: Click here for recordings.

Details regarding the allegations and charges against the 10 correctional police officers who were charged previously are contained in press releases posted at these links:

https://www.njoag.gov/ag-grewal-announces-charges-against-three-correctional-police-officers-in-ongoing-investigation-of-inmate-assaults-at-edna-mahan-correctional-facility/

https://www.njoag.gov/ag-grewal-announces-charges-against-fourth-correctional-police-officer-in-ongoing-investigation-of-inmate-assaults-at-edna-mahan-correctional-facility/

https://www.njoag.gov/ag-grewal-announces-charges-against-four-more-correctional-police-officers-related-to-inmate-assaults-at-edna-mahan-correctional-facility/

https://www.njoag.gov/ag-grewal-announces-charges-against-two-more-correctional-police-officers-related-to-inmate-assaults-at-edna-mahan-correctional-facility/

Defense Attorneys:
For St. Paul: Ronald J. Ricci, Esq., and John McGovern, Esq.
For Valentin: Timothy M. Donohue, Esq.
For Burgos: Anthony J. Iacullo, Esq.
For Lewis: Michael Rubas, Esq.
For Sprow: Matthew J. Troiano, Esq.