HARRISBURG — Attorney General Dave Sunday, in conjunction with the Pennsylvania State Police, announced charges against a former corrections officer at SCI Forest for assaulting two fellow officers.
Pennsylvania State Police charged Garrett Smead, 29, of Warren, on Monday with multiple misdemeanor counts, including indecent assault, unlawful restraint, indecent exposure, and related offenses.
According to investigators, in separate incidents in May, Smead handcuffed and violated recently-hired officers at the prison.
“The allegations in this case are unacceptable for anyone, let alone a corrections officer with a sworn duty to secure our prisons and protect our communities,” Attorney General Sunday said. “Anytime an officer is charged with a crime, it negatively impacts the trust that we rightly show to the honorable members of law enforcement. I commend the Pennsylvania State Police for a sound investigation that will ensure the defendant is held accountable for this dehumanizing behavior.”
According to the investigation, during two separate incidents on May 21, Smead restrained two officers by handcuffing them, then removed his clothing and sexually assaulted them. In one incident, Smead allegedly wrote “Property of G. Smead” on the victim’s body. Both victims were left handcuffed until other officers arrived and freed them.
This case is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Stephen Sliger of the Criminal Prosecutions Section. Criminal charges, and any discussion thereof, are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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