Four former HCCC correctional officers were sentenced for their roles in the assault of an inmate and their participation in a multi-year conspiracy to cover-up the abuse.
Jordan DeMattos, 30, who previously accepted responsibility for his crimes by pleading guilty, and testified against his co-defendants at a trial last Summer, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison.
Jonathan Taum, 50, the officer who supervised the beating and orchestrated the conspiracy to cover it up, was sentenced to 144 months in prison. Jason Tagaloa, 31, the officer who delivered the most vicious punches and kicks to the victim’s head, was sentenced to 96 months in prison. Craig Pinkney, 39, who struck the victim and held him down as Tagaloa punched and kicked him, was sentenced to 60 months in prison.
According to court documents and evidence introduced at trial, on June 15, 2015, Sergeant Taum supervised Tagaloa, Pinkney and DeMattos while they transported an inmate across the facility. The inmate became frightened in the course of the transfer, and Taum’s fellow officers took the non-violent inmate to the ground and repeatedly punched and kicked him in the face, head, and body — breaking the inmate’s jaw, nose, and orbital socket. Thereafter, Taum led the officers in a cover-up conspiracy that included writing false reports, submitting false statements to internal affairs, and providing false testimony to disciplinary board members.
The FBI Honolulu Field Office investigated the case.