VALDOSTA – A former supervisory correctional officer at Valdosta State Prison pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court for attempting to conceal an assault on an inmate.

Geary Staten, 31, pleaded guilty to “misprision of a felony” — failing to report a felony — for attempting to conceal an assault on an inmate, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice. 

Staten faces a statutory maximum three years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 21. There is no parole in the federal system.

According to court documents, while Staten was on duty as a supervisory correctional officer at Valdosta State Prison, several correctional officers unlawfully used force on an inmate only identified as “F.G.”  

Staten was aware of the assault but instead of reporting the violations to law enforcement, he took steps to conceal the offense by directing Officer Brian Ford, Officer Jamal Scott and Sgt. Patrick Sharpe not to write any report to VSP officials or any other corrections officials regarding the incident, as well as failing to write such a report himself despite knowing such a report was required, according to the statement.

Scott, Ford and Sharpe all pleaded guilty to federal offenses in connection with the incident, past reporting shows.

Terry Richards is senior reporter at The Valdosta Daily Times.