Michael Pack, a former corrections officer at the Southern Regional Jail in Beaver, pleaded guilty on March 30 to participating in a conspiracy with other officers to use unreasonable force against inmates as punishment and retaliation.
The case is significant because it addresses allegations of abuse and misconduct by correctional staff within the justice system. The plea agreement highlights concerns about accountability and oversight in detention facilities.
According to court documents and statements made during the hearing, Pack admitted that he and others would assault inmates they believed had engaged in misconduct. They would take inmates to areas of the jail not covered by surveillance cameras—referred to as “blind spots”—to carry out these actions without being recorded. Pack also acknowledged that false reports were prepared denying any wrongdoing or injuries sustained by inmates, with the intention of avoiding investigation or accountability.
Pack faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 when sentenced on July 24. The announcement was made by Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and United States Attorney Moore Capito for the Southern District of West Virginia. The FBI Pittsburgh Field Office, Charleston Resident Agency investigated the case.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Deputy Chief Christine M. Siscaretti and former Trial Attorney Sam Kuhn prosecuted the case for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division alongside partners from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
Information about this case can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:26-cr-30.
