Donovan Matthew Pruett, a former jailer at Okfuskee County Jail in Oklahoma, has been sentenced to 36 months of probation after pleading guilty to one count of Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced the sentencing.
The incident occurred on September 28, 2024, when Pruett was working as an Okfuskee County jailer. According to investigators, Pruett physically assaulted a restrained detainee after the individual spat on him. The assault resulted in bodily injury to the victim.
Pruett entered his guilty plea in federal district court on November 24, 2025. The investigation into the case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 242 makes it a crime for any person acting under color of law to willfully deprive someone of rights protected by the Constitution or U.S. laws. This statute applies to officials such as police officers and prison guards who are performing their official duties.
The sentencing hearing was overseen by Senior District Judge Ronald A. White in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Paladino represented the United States in consultation with the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice.
