Former Wilcox County Sheriff Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Inmate

ABBEVILLE, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — The former sheriff of Wilcox County, Stacy Bloodsworth pleaded guilty to assaulting an inmate inside the Wilcox County jail Tuesday.

According to U.S. Attorney Michael J. Moore, Bloodsworth conspired to cover up the assault. Bloodsworth’s son, Austin Bloodsworth also pleaded guilty to conspiring to cover up the same assault.

Stacy Bloodsworth admitted that while he was acting as sheriff on July 23, 2009, he ordered three inmates out of their cells because he was angry about reports that one of them had a cell phone. Bloodsworth hit all three inmates and watched as other people hit one of the inmates in the face. Bloodsworth was with his son Austin; a Wilcox County inmate-trustee Willie James Caruthers; a drug task force agent Timothy King, Jr.; and a county jailer Casey Owens.

“Today’s guilty pleas by former Sheriff Bloodsworth and Austin Bloodsworth remind us that no one, not even an elected sheriff, is above the law,” said U.S. Attorney Moore.

Stacy Bloodsworth will face a maximum of 10 years on the civil rights charge. He also faces a maximum of five years on the conspiracy charge.