Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Brandon Montanari Was One of Three Guards Who Assaulted an Inmate at Mid-State Correctional Facility
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Brandon Montanari, age 34, of East Concord, New York, was sentenced today to 37 months in prison, to be followed by 2 years of supervised release, for depriving an inmate at Mid-State Correctional Facility of his rights under color of law. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
When Montanari pled guilty, he admitted to assaulting an inmate at Mid-State Correctional Facility in April 2023, along with fellow correction officers Rohail Kahn, age 28, and Michael Williams age 38, both of whom have pled guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Montanari, Williams, and Khan punched and kicked the inmate without cause in a hallway in the middle of the night, and they later agreed with each other to lie about what happened to internal investigators.
Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “I recognize how difficult it is to work as a corrections officer in New York State, but nobody is above the law. It is unacceptable for a corrections officer to assault an inmate. With our law enforcement partners, we will continue to investigate these types of incidents and, where appropriate, bring federal criminal charges.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig L. Tremaroli stated: “Mr. Montanari admitted to assaulting an inmate and lying to cover it up. Now he is headed to federal prison. Today’s sentence proves the FBI will not look the other way when an officer violates the laws they are sworn to uphold.”
Williams is scheduled to be sentenced on September 26, 2025, and Khan is scheduled to be sentenced on September 29, 2025, by Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes, who presides over all three cases.
FBI investigated the case with assistance from the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision Office of Special Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael F. Perry and Michael D. Gadarian are prosecuting the case.