Former Correctional Officer sentenced to prison for using excessive force on an inmate

BOSTON — A former senior Correctional Officer at the Federal Medical Center in Fort Devens was sentenced to one year in prison for striking a handcuffed inmate with his protective shield, causing severe head lacerations that require 12 staples and six sutures back in 2019.

Seth M. Bourget, 42, of Woodstock, Connecticut was sentenced in Boston federal court on Monday after being convicted in December 2022 of one count of deprivation of civil rights under color of law of an inmate.

On June 18, 2019, Bourget struck a handcuffed inmate suffering from severe mental disorders with a large protective shield with excessive force, causing serious head injuries, according to acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy.

Prosecutors said on the day of the incident the inmate was acting out and not prepared for his move to a different unit when Bourget sprayed the inmate in the face with pepper spray and locked him in a cell with his hands cuffed behind his back for 45 minutes.

Evidence presented during the trial established the inmate was in an agitated state and unable to consistently engage in a coherent conversation or understand regular verbal commands, said prosecutors.

Bourget and other officers prepared to conduct a use of force on the inmate involving a train of five men entering the cell, which Bourget volunteered to lead using a protective shield. The evidence established that upon entry into the cell, Bourget thrust the protective shield upward and struck the handcuffed inmate in the chin area, snapping the inmate’s head back and causing the inmate to fall back onto the concrete cell floor, according to prosecutors.

The impact caused significant injury to the inmate’s head, including lacerations that required 12 staples and a gash on his lip that required six sutures.

“Corrections officers are placed in a position of public trust and the overwhelming majority of correctional officers do their jobs with professionalism, respect and dedication to protect and serve. In this case, a jury unanimously found that Mr. Bourget abused his position of authority when he violently struck a mentally ill and defenseless inmate,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “This office will continue to hold accountable bad actors who abuse their power and violate the public’s trust in them.”

Bourget was sentenced to one year and one day in prison and two years of supervised release.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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