Two former Milwaukee County Jail correctional officers are facing felony charges in connection with allegations of inmate abuse that took place in September 2024. Rafael Gomez, 30, and Marques Reeder, 25, are accused of physically abusing jail inmates, with charges including misconduct in office. As reported by FOX6 News, both individuals are scheduled to make a court appearance later this month.
A statement from the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office details that Gomez and Reeder were in their probationary employment phase when the incidents occurred, and have since been relieved of their duties. "Our commitment to those standards is evidenced by the fact that upon learning of these now-former officers' alleged actions, MCSO detectives initiated and led a thorough investigation...," said the Sheriff's Office in the statement obtained by FOX6 News.
According to TMJ4, court documents allege that the correctional officers engaged in an excessive use of force against a handcuffed inmate, including punching, hair-pulling, and using pepper spray. Moreover, Gomez is accused of hitting an inmate in the face with a pepper spray canister and making false entries in relation to this incident.
Reeder, who was not authorized to use the pepper spray, is accused of doing so against a restrained inmate who was taunting him, further exacerbating the situation as described by court documents. "The inmate was caught on video yelling and threatening to spit on correctional officers," according to an account by TMJ4.
Gomez and Reeder are both due in court on January 22 for their initial appearances. As reported by CBS58, the charges against them include abuse of a resident of a penal facility and misconduct in public office. The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office affirms their cooperation with the District Attorney's Office as these cases proceed through the criminal justice system.
