Jefferson County corrections officer accused of official oppression following alleged inmate assault

Published 3:32 pm Friday, May 2, 2025

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BEAUMONT— A Jefferson County corrections officer and Port Arthur man has been indicted for official oppression following an incident involving an inmate at the Jefferson County Correctional Facility earlier this year. 

The claims are outlined in a sworn affidavit filed by Detective Matt Gardner of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office on April 28. The affidavit alleges that Corrections Sergeant Dontrell Broderick Scott, 25, used excessive force during an altercation with inmate Christopher Kirk Faulk on March 1.

According to the document, Faulk submitted a grievance in mid-April alleging that Scott assaulted him without cause. The inmate claims he was pepper sprayed multiple times, struck with a canister, dragged naked through the dormitory, and suffered injuries including a chipped tooth. The detective’s review of body-worn camera footage and internal reports led to a request for a warrant charging Scott with official oppression, a Class A misdemeanor under Texas law. However, it is important to note that these events are based on allegations and have not yet been proven in court.

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The footage reviewed reportedly shows a confrontation between Scott and Faulk escalating after Scott claimed that Faulk spit on him—a moment not clearly visible on camera. The affidavit alleges that Scott used pepper spray excessively, struck Faulk repeatedly, and forced him through several doors, resulting in Faulk’s head being slammed and his body dragged while still nude. He was later hosed down while allegedly being shouted at and sprayed in the face. The report further claims Scott deactivated his body camera at a critical point in the incident. Despite the allegations, no formal trial has occurred, and Scott, like all individuals accused of a crime, is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

An indictment is not a final conviction of guilt; it is only a ruling by the grand jury that allows the district attorney’s office to proceed with a criminal case.