A Milwaukee County judge on Thursday spared former correctional officer Marques Reeder from prison time, instead putting him on probation in a case that prosecutors say involved pepper-spraying and striking two restrained inmates. Reeder had pleaded guilty in May to two counts of misconduct in public office as part of a plea deal, according to court filings. Prosecutors say surveillance and body-worn camera footage captured much of the September 2024 incidents.
Judge Shelves Prison Term, Opts For Probation
According to FOX6 Milwaukee, Judge Jorge Fragoso initially imposed a prison sentence but stayed it, choosing probation instead. The station reports that Reeder, 26, was originally charged with four felonies and in May pleaded guilty to the two misconduct counts.
What Prosecutors Say The Cameras Caught
As reported by Wisconsin Public Radio, a 28-page criminal complaint alleges that Reeder and another officer used excessive force on inmates who were already restrained. Prosecutors say the video shows one man being struck with an OC (pepper-spray) canister, his dreadlocks being pulled, and spray being rubbed into his eyes. A second inmate on suicide watch was later pepper-sprayed and stunned, according to the complaint, and prosecutors say the officers’ explanations did not match what appeared on camera.
County Sheriff’s Office Says Officers Were Removed
In a statement to TMJ4, the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office said investigators conducted a thorough probe after learning of the allegations. The office said the officers, who were still in their probationary employment phase at the time, were separated from the department and that it would continue cooperating with the District Attorney’s Office as the cases move forward.
Charges, Plea Deal And What’s Next
Per FOX6 Milwaukee, prosecutors say Reeder pleaded guilty in May to two counts of misconduct in public office, while two counts alleging abuse of a resident of a penal facility were dismissed as part of the plea agreement. The other former officer, Rafael Gomez, still faces felony charges and is scheduled to return to court in July 2026.
Legal Stakes Behind The Sentencing Call
Local reporting and court documents indicate the felonies at issue carry possible penalties that can include fines and prison time; local outlets have cited maximum penalties of about $10,000 and up to three and a half years behind bars, according to TMJ4. The decision to stay a prison term and impose probation will shape how any civil claims or administrative reviews of training and supervision at the jail unfold.
Why Milwaukee Is Watching
The case comes amid wider scrutiny of the downtown Milwaukee County Jail. Auditors have flagged problems with suicide-watch practices, overcrowding and staffing shortages after multiple in-custody deaths, which advocates say raise serious questions about supervision and training, as earlier reporting by Wisconsin Public Radio has noted. Hoodline previously covered the initial January 2025 charges in its report on the former officers’ charges.
Reeder’s probation sentence closes one chapter but leaves open the larger questions about oversight, training and accountability inside Milwaukee’s jail system. With Gomez’s case still pending, county officials, defense attorneys and advocates are likely to keep a close eye on the next round of hearings.
