South Florida Corrections Officers Indicted on Federal Civil Rights and Obstruction Charges

The Justice Department announced today the indictment of South Florida Reception Center (SFRC) officers Alexander McQueen, 30; Guruba Griffin, 31; Scott Butler, 32; and Steven Dawkins, 30, on charges of conspiring to violate the civil rights of inmates at SFRC. McQueen and Dawkins are also charged with obstruction of justice.

The indictment alleges that on Feb. 25, 2009, defendants McQueen, Griffin, Butler, and Dawkins conspired to violate the civil rights of inmates at SFRC by physically abusing inmates and forcing them to fight one another. The indictment further alleges that defendants McQueen and Dawkins filed false reports to obstruct an investigation into the prisoner abuse, and that McQueen attempted to corruptly persuade a witness.

If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on the felony civil rights charge. Additionally, McQueen and Dawkins face maximum penalties of 20 years in prison on their respective obstruction charges.

An indictment is merely an accusation, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

This case was investigated by the FBI and the Inspector General’s Office, Florida Department of Corrections, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan Rhee Osborne of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida and Senior Litigation Counsel Gerard Hogan and Trial Attorney Henry Leventis of the Civil Rights Division.