California Corrections Officer Charged with Federal Conspiracy and Civil Rights Violations

A federal grand jury in Fresno, California, returned an indictment today charging California State Prison-Corcoran Correctional Officer Raquel Mosqueda and inmate Jimmie Carter with conspiracy and a federal civil rights violation.

The indictment alleges that, on or about April 20, 2022, Mosqueda and Carter conspired to violate the Eighth Amendment right to freedom from cruel and unusual punishment of J.M., an inmate at California State Prison-Corcoran. The indictment also charges Mosqueda with depriving J.M. of the same right, while acting under color of law, by facilitating Carter’s planned attack on J.M.

If convicted, Mosqueda and Carter both face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the conspiracy count. Mosqueda also faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for the federal civil rights violation. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert for the Eastern District of California and Acting Special Agent in Charge Mark Remily of the FBI Sacramento Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI Sacramento Field Office is investigating the case, with assistance from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s Office of Internal Affairs.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar for the Eastern District of California and Trial Attorney Laura-Kate Bernstein of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.