BESSEMER, Ala. (WIAT) — A former lieutenant at the William Donaldson E. Correctional Facility in Bessemer has been indicted on federal charges of abusing inmates, including allegations of beating inmates and then lying about what had happened.
Recently, a federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment against Mohammad Shahid Jenkins. The charges included two counts of excessive force and two counts of obstruction regarding two inmates Jenkins allegedly assaulted at Donaldson between 2021 and 2022.
According to the indictment, the first incident reportedly happened on November 29, 2021, when Jenkins allegedly used chemical spray on an inmate several times, as well as striking him with a can of chemical spray and hitting him.
The second incident allegedly occurred occurred on February 16, 2022, where Jenkins abused an inmate by kicking him, hitting him, spraying him with chemical spray, striking him with a can of chemical spray and then using a shoe to hit him.
Prosecutors allege that following the second incident in 2022, Jenkins allegedly falsified an incident report about the event to the Alabama Department of Corrections, as well as engaged in “misleading conduct” when ADOC and FBI agents questioned him about the reported assault.
If convicted, Jenkins could serve upward of 10 years in prison on each excessive force charge and 20 years in prison on each obstruction charge. Jenkins also faces up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.