Three corrections officers at a Miami-Dade prison are facing charges after an inmate was falsely accused of having a "shank" in his possession, officials said.
Dade Correctional Institution workers Capt. Eric Peavey, Jr., Sgt. Lizandro Rodriguez and Correctional Officer Ellen Day were all arrested on charges including official misconduct and falsifying an official record, the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office said Thursday.
Prosecutors said Rodriguez falsified a report in December 2017 for inmate Lazaro Galvan that claimed he was in possession of an improvised weapon or "shank." Galvan denied having a shank in his possession and an officer who was listed on the report as taking an inventory of his property denied taking the inventory or finding the shank, prosecutors said.
When surveillance footage was reviewed and more corrections officers were interviewed, it was determined Galvan's version of events was authentic, prosecutors said.
"By falsely charging inmate Galvan with possession of a weapon, the charged Correctional Officers knew, or had reason to know, that Galvan was subjected to segregation from the general population of Dade CI, a loss of visitation, and a loss of privileges available to other inmates," the state attorney's office said in a statement.
The charges against the officers are third-degree felonies, Attorney information wasn't available.
"The actions of these officers were inappropriate and do not reflect of the thousands of FDC staff across the state who serve at our institutions with integrity every day. We applaud our Inspector General’s Office and law enforcement partners for their thorough investigation," Patrick Manderfield, spokesperson for the Florida Department of Corrections, said in a statement.
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Manderfield said the department is moving forward with the immediate dismissals of the officers.
