Source: US FBI
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Ivory S. Cousins, 36, of Glassboro, New Jersey, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Juan R. Sánchez to 60 months’ incarceration, a three-year period of supervised release, and a $325 special assessment for violating the constitutional rights of an inmate while employed as a Philadelphia correctional officer. The Philadelphia Department of Prisons provided substantial assistance with this case.
The defendant was charged by indictment in August 2024 with violating the inmate’s constitutional rights for ignoring his significant injuries from an assault by other inmates, pepper spraying him, helping another inmate to steal from him, and obstructing the investigation of what happened to him.
In April of this year, a federal jury convicted Cousins at trial of three counts of depriving an inmate of his civil rights under color of law and one count of filing a false report about the incident.
As proven at trial, while on duty at the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility, the defendant became aware that an inmate had been assaulted by other inmates and had serious injuries, but she was deliberately indifferent to his serious medical needs, failed to get him medical attention, and prevented a superior officer from discovering the inmate’s injuries.
After her partner discovered the injured inmate and called for medical attention, but before assistance arrived to escort him to the medical unit, Cousins subjected the injured inmate to excessive force, unreasonably pepper spraying him.
When the injured inmate had been escorted out of the area for medical attention, Cousins further violated the injured inmate’s constitutional rights by helping one of the inmates involved in his assault to steal the injured inmate’s personal belongings from his cell.
When she later completed a report about the incident, Cousins provided false information about the injured inmate being aggressive, engaging in a fight, and using a weapon.
“Corrections officers have significant authority over the inmates in their charge and it’s their duty to wield that power responsibly,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “If they fail to meet this standard, and violate a prisoner’s civil rights, as with Ivory Cousins, they will be prosecuted and held accountable.”
“Today’s sentencing serves as a powerful reminder that no one is above the law — especially those who take an oath to uphold it,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office. “The FBI, together with our partners, will continue to pursue allegations of civil rights violations and abuses of power with determination and integrity. We remain firmly committed to holding individuals accountable when they betray the public’s trust.”
This case was investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the Philadelphia Department of Prisons, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Everett Witherell and Jessica Rice.