Two Former Georgia Deputies Plead Guilty to Violating Civil Rights of Jail Detainee

Two former Richmond County, Georgia, Sheriff's Office deputies pleaded guilty yesterday to federal civil rights charges involving an assault on a jail detainee.

Daniel D'Aversa, 52, and Melissa Morello, 28, pleaded guilty to an information charging both officers with one felony count of deprivation of civil rights under color of law.

According to court documents, Morello was assigned as a jailer at Richmond County's Charles D. Webster Detention Center, and D'Aversa was a corporal with the Richmond County Sheriff's Office. On May 7, 2022, Morello and D'Aversa were working with other Richmond County Sheriff's Office deputies to secure inmates who had caused flooding in a section of the jail. Fellow deputies deliberately removed the handcuffs of a compliant inmate and then proceeded to punch and kick him. Both Morello and D'Aversa pleaded guilty to failing to intervene or stop the assault on the inmate, who was not posing a threat to anyone at the time of the assault.

U.S. District Court Judge J. Randal Hall will schedule sentencing for D'Aversa and Morello upon completion of pre-sentence investigations by U.S. Probation Services.

Sentencing hearings will be set at a later date. Both D'Aversa and Morello face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, along with substantial fines and restitution, followed by up to three years of supervised release upon completion of any prison term. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and any other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Jill E. Steinberg for the Southern District of Georgia and Acting Special Agent in Charge Sean Burke of the FBI Atlanta Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI Atlanta Field Office is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney George J.C. Jacobs III for the Southern District of Georgia and Trial Attorney Anita T. Channapati of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.