CAMDEN COUNTY, GA — A former jail supervisor in Camden County has received a 16-month federal prison sentence for violently assaulting a pretrial detainee, a case that has attracted national scrutiny regarding the misuse of authority in correctional facilities.

Ryan Robert Biegel, 27, from Kingsland, Georgia, pleaded guilty earlier this year to a charge of employing unreasonable force against a detainee referred to in court documents as J.H. The sentence, issued by U.S. District Judge Lisa G. Wood on July 24, also includes three years of supervised release after his prison time.

Court documents reveal that the assault took place on September 3, 2022, within a holding cell at the Camden County Jail. At the time, Biegel was a corporal with the Camden County Sheriff’s Office and entered the cell alongside two other correctional officers. While the other officers held J.H. against a wall, Biegel launched a vicious and prolonged attack.

He confessed to striking J.H. five times in the back of the head, followed by an additional 22 blows to the head and body using his fists and knees — all while the detainee was restrained and posed no immediate danger.

Prosecutors emphasized that Biegel was aware that his use of force was excessive and unwarranted, infringing upon the detainee’s constitutional rights under the guise of law.

“This was not a split-second decision in the heat of the moment,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer J. Kirkland. “This was a prolonged and intentional attack on someone who was already subdued.”

The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Brunswick Resident Agency along with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). The prosecution was significantly supported by the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, under the leadership of Trial Attorney Alec Ward.

Is There a Pattern of Abuse?

Although Biegel was the sole officer charged in this specific case, civil rights advocates are raising concerns about whether this incident reflects a larger trend of abuse within the Camden County Jail — a problem that has emerged repeatedly in recent years.

“This sentencing is a step toward justice,” said one representative of a Georgia civil rights organization. “But it’s just one piece of the puzzle. We need full transparency and accountability inside our jails, where abuses like this too often go unchecked.”

“No one is above the law — including those who wear a badge,” said Trial Attorney Alec Ward. “The Constitution protects everyone, including those who are incarcerated or awaiting trial.”

Biegel is set to start his 16-month federal prison sentence right away. After his release, he will be on supervised probation for three years, and any infractions during this time could lead to additional consequences.

In the meantime, the victim — J.H. — has not made any public statements, but legal analysts believe a civil lawsuit might be on the horizon.

Bestseller #1