🔴 Correctional officer admits to beating and cover-up

🔴 Jail guards met at a gym and swore to lie to investigators, officials say

🔴 Charges remain pending against a third guard

PATERSON — A sergeant working for the Passaic County Jail has pleaded guilty to civil rights violation charges for conspiring to beat up a handcuffed inmate, according to authorities.

Last week, Sgt. Donald Vinales, 39, pleaded guilty to deprivation of rights under color of law and conspiracy to obstruct justice.

Vinales faces decades in prison for the assault involving two other corrections officers, U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Alina Habba said.

The group attack left the inmate hospitalized, authorities said.

Corrections Officer Lorenzo Bowden previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to obstruct justice. Charges remain pending against a third guard, Sgt. Jose Gonzalez.

Passaic County Jail

Passaic County Jail (Google Maps)

Urine incident at Passaic County Jail

Federal prosecutors said the Jan. 23, 2021, beating was retaliation against the victim for an incident one day earlier.

The inmate had “squirted” a mixture that had urine in it at one of the corrections officers, prosecutors said.

When it came time for the beating, authorities said the guards took the male inmate to a “blind spot” of the jail where there were no surveillance cameras.

The corrections officers knocked the victim to the ground and beat him while he was handcuffed. It lasted for just under a minute, a criminal complaint said.

The victim wasn’t taken to the hospital until the next day.

Officer group chat details cover-up

According to prosecutors, federal law enforcement interviewed Sgt. Gonzalez about the victim’s accusations in March 2022.

He lied and claimed there was no beating, according to a criminal complaint.

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Around a month later, Officer Bowden created a group text that included the other officers so they could talk about the federal investigation.

Court documents said they arranged to meet at a gym in Wayne and agreed to “keep their mouths shut” and lie to investigators.

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