A former Northumberland County (Pa.) Prison officer has been charged with assaulting an inmate a little more than a week after the completion of two-year grand jury investigation into alleged prisoner abuse and selling of drugs by correctional officers at the facility.
Jason C. Mulberger, 27, of Canandaigua, N.Y., a former part-time correctional officer at the prison, was charged with simple assault, official oppression and harassment of an inmate.
Inmate Gerald Hanna alleged he was assaulted by Mulberger while being held at the facility just weeks before being released in April.
During a May 5 prison board meeting, President Judge Robert Sacavage said an investigation into the incident began as soon as prison officials learned of the allegations.
Northumberland County Detective Francis Bower filed the charges at District Justice Robert Bolton's office in Sunbury.
According to the charges, on April 22, Mulberger struck Hanna from behind before punching him numerous times in the body and head. Mulberger then kicked Hanna while he was down.
A preliminary hearing on the charges is scheduled for 10 a.m. Aug. 11 before Bolton.
On April 14, seven current and former officers were arrested as the result of a two-year grand jury investigation into offenses allegedly committed between 2000 and 2002 at the prison.