Former Bibb deputy to serve 10 years in 2023 jail assault case
Frederick Ogletree will serve the first 10 years of his 20-year sentence and is permanently barred from working in law enforcement, security or other protective roles.
MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A former Bibb County jail deputy was sentenced to 20 years after pleading guilty to assaulting a female inmate in 2023, according to the Macon Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office.
The office said in a news release Tuesday that Frederick Ogletree pleaded guilty Monday to aggravated assault, violation of oath by a public officer, battery and cruelty to an inmate. The non-negotiated plea came just before his trial was scheduled to begin.
A judge sentenced Ogletree to 20 years, with the first 10 to serve. Prosecutors had requested a 40-year sentence, with 20 to serve.
The charges stemmed from a May 2023 assault at the Bibb County Jail on Oglethorpe Street.
According to prosecutors, Ogletree and another deputy were escorting the woman to a court appearance when they ordered her to remove a religious head covering.
Prosecutors said the other deputy struck the woman after she protested and pointed at him. They say both deputies then choked and punched her, repeatedly used Tasers on her, forced her to the ground, kicked her in the head and threw her into a housing dorm.
The district attorney’s office said the deputies returned minutes later wearing gloves reinforced with hard knuckles. Prosecutors said they pulled the woman from the dorm and punched her again before dragging her by the collar to another block, striking her with her shoe and locking her in a cell.
As part of his sentence, Ogletree is prohibited from contacting the woman and possessing firearms. He is also permanently barred from working in law enforcement, security or any position responsible for protecting people or property.
“Frederick Ogletree took an oath to protect the people in his custody, and instead he beat a defenseless woman, tased her, and smiled about it afterward,” Macon Judicial Circuit District Attorney Anita Howard said. “We asked the court for a sentence that reflected the brutality of what he did. This conviction permanently ends his career in law enforcement and holds him accountable. Our fight for justice for this woman is not over. We remain fully committed to prosecuting the other officer for his actions.”
The co-defendant’s trial was postponed before the jury was sworn in because of an issue involving improper communication by a juror, prosecutors said. In Tuesday’s release, the district attorney’s office did not identify the co-defendant or announce a new trial date.
Previous 41NBC reporting identified Quency Barnes as the other deputy arrested with Ogletree in June 2023 following an investigation into the use of force against a female inmate. The Bibb County Sheriff’s Office said both deputies resigned and were released on bond.
