RALEIGH, N.C. — A former Federal Bureau of Prisons lieutenant admitted to conspiring to violate an inmate’s civil rights after directing a violent retaliation against the prisoner under his supervision.

Daniel Mitchell, who oversaw the special housing unit (SHU) at Federal Correctional Institute Butner Medium II in North Carolina, pleaded guilty to the charge in federal court, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. The incident stemmed from a December 2021 altercation in which Mitchell ordered a subordinate to physically assault an inmate rather than follow standard disciplinary protocols.

“The defendant’s actions were an unacceptable breach of his responsibilities as a law enforcement officer,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division in a statement. Clarke emphasized the department’s commitment to prosecuting officers who misuse their authority.

Court documents revealed that Mitchell devised the attack after a female officer reported that inmate K.G. had exposed himself and engaged in a sexual act in her presence. Mitchell decided against the formal disciplinary process, instructing a corrections officer—referred to as “co-conspirator 1”—to move K.G. to a holding cell and assault him.

In the holding cell, co-conspirator 1 repeatedly struck and kicked the inmate, who sustained minor injuries and later required medical attention due to an aggravated preexisting back condition. Other officers ultimately intervened to stop the assault, according to investigators.

“This coordinated attack violated the civil rights of a defenseless inmate and broke every tenet that FBOP employees swear an oath to uphold,” said Timothy C. Edmiston, special agent in charge of the Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General Mid-Atlantic Region.

Mitchell’s guilty plea underscores growing scrutiny over misconduct within correctional facilities, as federal officials vow to hold law enforcement accountable.

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