Oklahoma County jailers under investigation for inmate mistreatment

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Several detention officers at the Oklahoma County jail are being investigated by the attorney general due to an increase of inmate mistreatment complaints since a public trust took over operation of the jail.

In the latest incident on March 22, detention officer Frantz Desir, 36, is being accused of shoving an inmate with both hands during an argument, The Oklahoman reported.

The inmate, Dylan Buxton, was injured when he fell backward and struck his head against a metal table, according to the charge.

Former senior detention officer Antonio Padin Rivera, 22, is accused of unlawfully shoving an inmate into a cell door and striking the inmate on the floor with his knee twice.

Senior detention officer Richard Blane Clark, 22, is accused of unlawfully pepper spraying the inmate in the face less than a foot away.

As of Tuesday, both Desir and Clark were still listed on payroll records as jail employees. Rivera no longer works at the jail.

A third case involves an April 2019 incident where a former lieutenant, Joseph Leroy Hedderman, 31, is accused of unlawfully using pepper spray on a female inmate and then kicking her in the chest.

This incident happened while the jail was still under the control of the sheriff’s office.

District Attorney David Prater signed off on the charges himself.