Lorain County corrections officer Brian Tellier, 35, has been arrested on multiple charges, including felonious assault and endangering children, as per arrest records and officials' statements released today. Cleveland19 reports that Tellier's arrest follows an incident where he was seen on surveillance video slamming inmate Jeffrey Fry headfirst into a wall two years ago, leading to a permanent spinal cord injury for which a $40 million federal lawsuit was filed.
Following a grand jury indictment today, Tellier turned himself in and according to WKYC, his charges include tampering with records, tampering with evidence, and dereliction of duty in connection with the assault on Fry and he remains employed by the county but has been moved from paid to unpaid administrative leave pending an August pre-disciplinary hearing, and the bond set for his release stands at $135,000. In a separate incident involving child endangerment, Tellier is accused of leaving drugs within reach of a child, which led to unintentional ingestion.
In a statement obtained by News 5 Cleveland, Lorain County Sheriff Jack Hall underscored the commitment to constitutional standards that guided the thorough examination of the facts related to Tellier's case presented to the grand jury. In total, Tellier faces three counts of tampering with evidence and additional charges of child endangerment relating to a separate February 2025 incident.
"We want to ensure our staff and inmates are held to the highest constitutional standards which resulted in the investigation of Officer Tellier's actions with inmate Fry,” Hall told News 5 Cleveland, the integrated efforts from different departments such as the Elyria Police have contributed to shaping the case that led to Tellier's charges which include one count of felonious assault and two counts of endangering children; Tellier remains incarcerated at the Erie County Jail, the $135,000 bond stands firm as part of the process pending further legal proceedings.
