Suffolk jail guard pleads guilty to sex crime at Riverhead lockup

A now-former Suffolk County corrections officer pleaded guilty Friday to sexually assaulting an inmate while on duty at the Riverhead Correctional Facility, admitting he exploited a blind spot in the jail’s security camera system to carry out the attack.

Jason Middleton, 37, of Central Islip pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal sexual act and official misconduct. He faces a sentence of one year and six months in jail and will be required to register as a sex offender when he returns to court Aug. 25 for sentencing.

The jail guard resigned from county employment effective immediately as a condition of the plea. He had been suspended without pay since his arrest in November 2023.

Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney said Middleton “admitted to a profound abuse of authority and a violation of the public trust.”

“As a corrections officer, he was entrusted with the responsibility to ensure the safety and constitutional rights of those under his supervision,” Tierney said. “Instead, he exploited that position of power for personal gratification. No one is above the law.”

Court documents and Middleton’s own admissions during the plea indicate that the assault occurred sometime between June 5 and Aug. 14, 2023.

While on duty and assigned to guard inmates, Middleton escorted a prisoner into a utility walkway between jail cells that he knew was not covered by security cameras, prosecutors said.

Once inside, he closed the door and ordered the inmate to perform oral sex, Tierney explained. The inmate complied.

Before the assault, Middleton had allegedly threatened the inmate, warning that if the vitim ever disobeyed, Middleton would plant contraband in the victim’s cell and have additional criminal charges filed against the inmate, prosecutors said.

Middleton was arrested Nov. 24, 2023. He has been released from custody under non-monetary conditions.

Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon, Jr. said the office has zero tolerance for such conduct.

“The crimes committed by this officer are inexcusable and are absolutely inconsistent with the standards, integrity, and professionalism demonstrated every day by the men and women of the Sheriff’s Office,” he said.

_{Top: Jason Middleton (Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office) and Suffolk correctional facility in Riverhead (Google Maps Street View).}