15th DOC officer indicted over attacks on Edna Mahan inmates

Mike Deak, MyCentralJersey.com
·4 min read

A 15th corrections officer has been indicted in connection with a January 2021 incident at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women where inmates were allegedly forcibly removed from cells without justification, leaving two of the victims seriously injured.

Sgt. Matthew Faschan, 35, of Hackettstown, has been indicted on charges of conspiracy, official misconduct, tampering with public records and aggravated assault, the state Attorney General’s Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) announced.

Faschan was indicted on Nov. 17. The other 14 corrections officers were originally indicted in September 2022 and are named in a superseding indictment that includes Faschan.

The other officers indicted are:

  • Sean St. Paul, 57, of Newark

  • Ryan Valentin, 46, of Bloomfield

  • Eddie Molina, 45, of East Brunswick

  • Amir E. Bethea, 38, of Springfield

  • Andraia Bridges, 46, of North Plainfield

  • Anthony J. Valvano, 41, of Bound Brook

  • Brandon Burgos, 24, of Roseland

  • Luis A. Garcia, 26, of Nutley

  • Courey James, 34, of East Piscataway

  • Jose Irizarry, 39, of Paterson

  • Desiree Lewis, 34, of Elizabeth

  • Gustavo Sarmiento , 30, of Maywood

  • Marika Sprow, 34, of West Orange

  • Tara Wallace, 38, of Somerset

The indictment also alleges that Faschan’s misleading special custody report was designed to deceive the Department of Corrections into believing that one victim’s forcible cell extraction was justified, and her injuries were self-inflicted.

The 15 indicted officers, who have all been suspended without pay, include four sergeants, one lieutenant, one major and an associate administrator.

“The State has a responsibility to protect individuals in our custody and our care,” First Assistant Attorney General Lyndsay V. Ruotolo said in a statement. “The allegations in this case reflect a failure to uphold that duty. We will hold accountable those who harm people in state custody, as well as anyone who tries to cover up illegal abuses.”

Earlier: Gov. Phil Murphy announces first phase of NJ women’s prison closure has been completed

All were indicted on one count of conspiracy and two counts of official misconduct. Certain defendants were also charged with tampering with public records, aggravated assault and additional counts of official misconduct.

The incidents allegedly happened during the overnight hours between Jan. 11 and Jan. 12, 2021, at the facility in Union Township (Hunterdon) amid escalating tensions after several incidents of inmates squirting unknown liquids through their cell doors, in some cases striking officers.

Cells belonging to inmates suspected of being involved in those “splashing” incidents were allegedly targeted, in an action the DOC refers to as inmate cell extractions.

According to DOC policy, cell extractions should be performed only after inmates refuse repeated orders to put on handcuffs and leave their cells on their own, or if they pose a threat to themselves or others and refuse to exit a cell.

In this case, prosecutors allege the officers planned to go into the cells and use force regardless of whether any resistance was encountered, and in some instances did not give the targeted victims an opportunity to comply with orders to put on handcuffs and exit their cells without incident.

In other incidents the victims complied with orders to be handcuffed and yet were extracted by force from their cells anyway.

The superseding indictment alleges that the officers planned, supervised, took part in or failed to prevent or report forced cell extractions that were conducted in ways that violated DOC policies “with the purpose of punishing, intimidating or terrorizing one or more inmates.”

The conspiracy charge carries a sentence of 5 to 10 years in New Jersey state prison and a fine of $150,000. Official misconduct can carry a penalty of 5 to 10 years in prison with five years parole ineligibility and a fine of $150,000. Tampering with public records is punishable by three to five years in prison with two years parole ineligibility and a fine of $15,000.

Aggravated assault with serious bodily injury can carry a sentence of 5 to 10 years in prison, with a mandate to serve 85 percent of the sentence, plus a fine of $150,000.

Gov. Phil Murphy announced last month the state has completed the first phase of closing the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility and moving 176 inmates four miles away to the former William H. Fauver Youth Correctional Facility in Clinton Township.

Murphy in 2021 announced plans to close the 110-year-old facility, New Jersey’s only women’s prison, off Interstate 78, after the state released an investigative report on the cell extractions .

Those charges were the latest in a series of criminal charges, including sexual assault, brought in recent years against guards at the facility plagued by corruption and abuse.

Email: mdeak@mycentraljersey.com

Mike Deak is a reporter for mycentraljersey.com. To get unlimited access to his articles on Somerset and Hunterdon counties, please subscribe or activate your digital account today

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Edna Mahan NJ women's prison: 15th DOC officer indicted over attacks