An inmate from DeSoto County has been handed a five-year sentence for tasing a jailer, a considerable escalation from his initial 90-day term for a probation violation stemming from an uttering forgery conviction. As per Action News 5, John Riles, 52, was found guilty of assaulting a correctional officer with a Taser while incarcerated in November 2024.
During the altercation, captured on video and later published by TVMO Community News, a jailer is seen attempting to subdue Riles, inadvertently placing his Taser within reach. Riles managed to quickly grab the device and used it against one of the officers. This incident, as obtained by FOX13 Memphis, resulted in minor injuries for the attacked jailer.
In response to the sentencing, DeSoto County District Attorney Matthew Barton emphatically stated, "Let this sentence serve as a warning to those who assault our officers: we will not go soft on you," a sentiment echoed in statements reported by WREG News Channel 3. "We will always have the back of those who serve and protect our community, and any violence against them will not be tolerated," Barton continued.
