A Clermont County corrections officer has been indicted on two counts of felonious assault after prosecutors say he repeatedly struck a 63-year-old inmate inside a jail cell, an attack allegedly captured on the officer's own body camera. Matthew Mullenix, 35, was booked into the Clermont County Jail on September 15, 2026, the same facility where he had worked, and is scheduled to appear in court at 10 a.m. the next day.
According to Cleveland.com, the incident unfolded around 3:30 p.m. on July 7, 2026, when Mullenix entered an inmate's cell inside the Batavia jail. Sheriff's Office logs cited by WHIO TV put his entry at approximately 3:29 p.m., after he discovered the inmate with a shirt wrapped around his neck. Once inside, Mullenix removed the shirt before allegedly striking the inmate repeatedly, according to the prosecutor's release cited in the Cleveland.com report.
The inmate, identified by WLWT Channel 5 as 63 years old, suffered significant injuries as a result of the alleged assault, per the prosecutor's release. The station also reported that the alleged beating was recorded on Mullenix's body camera.
How the Case Moved From Jail Cell to Grand Jury
The Clermont County Sheriff's Office placed Mullenix on administrative leave on July 9, 2026, two days after the incident, and opened an internal investigation before turning its findings over to the county prosecutor. The Clermont County Prosecutor's Office then reviewed the evidence and retained an outside consultant specializing in response-to-resistance incidents and excessive use of force to help evaluate what happened inside the cell.
That review concluded the force used was unnecessary, unreasonable, and inconsistent with department policy and applicable law, according to the prosecutor's release. A Clermont County grand jury formally indicted Mullenix on September 15, 2026, returning the two felonious assault counts tied to the July incident, as reported by WHIO TV, a step that moved the case from internal review into Common Pleas Court.
Sheriff and Prosecutor Respond
Clermont County Sheriff Chris Stratton said the office expects every employee to conduct themselves professionally, lawfully, and according to policies and training, and that alleged misconduct will be investigated with appropriate action taken regardless of an employee's position or rank. Following the indictment, Stratton said, according to WHIO TV, that “nobody within this department is exempt from the law” and that public trust violations are fully examined.
Clermont County Prosecutor Mark Tekulve said his office will hold everyone, including law enforcement, to the highest standards while handling investigations fairly and thoroughly. If convicted, Mullenix could face two to eight years in prison on each of the two felonious assault counts.
What Ohio Law Says About the Charges
Felonious assault is classified under Ohio Revised Code Section 2903.11 as a second-degree felony, carrying a statutory penalty of two to eight years in state prison per count and fines of up to $15,000, as detailed in Hoodline's coverage of Ohio's felonious assault statute. Hoodline's coverage also mentions a possible extension of up to 50 percent for institutional infractions.
Court filings show Mullenix was previously named as a defendant officer in a 2023 federal civil rights lawsuit, Lovell v. Clermont County Sheriff's Office, which alleged excessive force and delayed medical treatment during a 2021 booking incident at the same jail, according to records reviewed on Justia Law. Department records also show Mullenix graduated from the Clermont County Corrections Academy in March 2019 alongside ten other recruit officers, putting his tenure at roughly seven years before his arrest.
Part of a Broader Pattern of Scrutiny in Ohio Jails
The case adds to a string of recent controversies at the jail. In August, the Clermont County Jail drew separate attention when James Kenney was held without bond after an allegedly unauthorized contact visit, a case Hoodline covered in depth.
Clermont County isn't the only Ohio jurisdiction confronting felony charges against jail staff over use-of-force incidents. In a similar 2025 case, a Lorain County corrections officer was charged with felonious assault after a use-of-force incident left an inmate paralyzed, underscoring how prosecutors across the state have moved to pursue felony charges when jail injuries turn severe.
