Former Supervisor at Richwood Correctional Center Sentenced for Violating Civil Rights of Five Inmates

The Department of Justice today announced that defendant Christopher Loring, a former lieutenant at the Richwood Correctional Center, was sentenced to 46 months in prison in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to cover up the abuse of five inmates by corrections officers. Loring, 37, of Winnsboro, Louisiana, pleaded guilty to conspiring with other officers to falsify documents with intent to obstruct and influence the investigation of a matter within federal jurisdiction.

According to his guilty plea, Loring failed to intervene when four other officers sprayed a chemical agent directly in the faces and eyes of five inmates while the inmates were handcuffed, compliant, kneeling on the floor, and not posing a physical threat to anyone. Following that abuse, Loring and the other officers conspired to hide their conduct by submitting false reports.

Loring was the last of the five officers to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Terry A. Doughty of the Western District of Louisiana. Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana David C. Joseph made the announcement.

“The final sentencing in this conspiracy represents the Department of Justice’s commitment to prosecuting those who abuse their power,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband. “The Civil Rights Division will continue to defend those who have had their civil rights violated.”

“I hope that the conclusion of this case demonstrates our commitment to ensure that Louisiana’s correctional officers follow the law and do not abuse the inmates under their supervision,” U.S. Attorney Joseph stated.  “I want to commend the investigators and prosecutors who worked on this case.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Mudrick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Western District of Louisiana and Trial Attorney Anita Channapati of the Civil Rights Division, Criminal Section, prosecuted the case. The Monroe Division of the FBI investigated the case.