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A former Oklahoma correctional officer for the Kay County Detention Center (KCDC) was sentenced to 46 months—close to three years—in federal prison for recruiting white supremacists to assault three Black inmates, infringing on their civil rights.
Matthew Ware, 53, was convicted on April 15, 2022, after evidence showed he denied the three pretrial detainees the right to freedom from a correctional officer’s excessive use of force, the Department of Justice announced.
“This defendant is being held accountable for abusing his position of power and authority to, among other things, facilitate an attack carried out by white supremacists on a Black inmate,” Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said. “This sentence handed down reflects the seriousness of the defendant’s actions and ensures accountability for his unlawful conduct. The Justice Department will continue to hold corrections officials accountable, including those in leadership positions, when they willfully violate the constitutional rights of detainees and inmates in their custody and control.”
Court documents and evidence brought to trial listed a series of events that proved Ware took advantage of lower-ranking officers’ positions and ordered them to do certain tasks that led to the assaults. One incident happened on May 18, 2017, where Ware had lower-ranking officers transport two Black inmates, D.W. and M.M., into a cell row with white supremacist inmates.
The same day, the corrupt officer gave a second order that involved lower-ranking officers unlocking the cells of D.W. and M.M. and enabling the white supremacists to attack the two, causing them physical harm. D.W. had to get seven stitches to close a gash on his face.
On Jan. 31, 2018, Ware ordered the subordinate officers to restrain an inmate, Christopher Davis, in a stretched-out position. His left wrist was cuffed to the far-left side of a bench, and his right wrist was cuffed to the far-right side. Davis was left in that position for 90 minutes, sustaining injuries, all because he criticized the way Ware ran the KCDC in a letter.
“The defendant disregarded the civil rights of those under his care and ultimately used his position to inflict physical harm on multiple pretrial detainees,” Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division said. “Today’s sentencing clearly shows the FBI will aggressively pursue any law enforcement officer who abuses their responsibility to protect and serve.”
Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office said that Ware tarnished the reliability of correctional officers who do their jobs honorably.
In addition to the 46 months in prison, Ware will have three years of supervised release.