CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A former supervisor at the Southern Regional Jail has been sentenced to 17.5 years in federal prison for covering up the 2022 beating death of jail inmate Quantez Burks.
Chad Lester, 35, a former lieutenant at the jail, was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Joseph Goodwin after being convicted in January on two counts of tampering with a witness and one count of lying to the FBI.
Although Lester didn’t physically strike Burks in the March 2022 beating, Goodwin said it was clear he allowed it to take place because of the culture at the jail.
“It was happening under your leadership and a long sentence is appropriate given the culture,” Goodwin told Lester. “You condoned, obstructed and covered up.”
Goodwin also chided Lester for showing no remorse.
“You’re not remorseful and you refuse to accept responsibility,” the judge said.
Seven other correctional officers were charged with Lester in the death and all but Lester pleaded guilty. He continued to maintain his innocence in Thursday’s sentencing.
“I was shocked to receive a target letter (from federal prosecutors). The truth has to come out. I guess I’ve taken pride in my innocence and that’s why I wanted to fight it,” Lester said.
He added the only thing he would change about the day that Burks died is “I would have called in sick.”
Department of Justice Civil Rights Division Deputy Chief Christine Siscaretti told Goodwin those jail guards who worked under Lester continued to beat Burks in an off-camera interview room because “they believed they would get away with it because the officers (including Lester) would take care of it.”
The beating occurred after Burks tried to push his way past some correctional officers in the jail’s sally port. Goodwin said while reasonable responses to control inmates are reasonable, “unreasonable force is inexcusable.”
Goodwin added, “People aren’t imprisoned for further punishment.”
Outside the Byrd Federal Courthouse in downtown Charleston, Burks’ mother, Kimberly Burks told MetroNews she always wants a stiffer sentence but she appreciates Goodwin sentencing Lester on the higher side of the federal sentencing guidelines.
“It sends a message. The judge was stern, pretty fair. He listened to us. He listened to them and he summed the whole case up,” Burks said.
She said Goodwin recognized what was the culture at Southern Regional.
“He thought this has probably happened before and it has and for someone like him to say that—it’s a big deal to me,” Burks said.
There remain six former correctional officers to be sentenced.
Ashley Toney and Jacob Booth pleaded guilty last August to violating Burks’ civil rights by not intervening when officers in their sight used unreasonable force. They are both scheduled to be sentenced on June 9.
Andrew Fleshman pleaded guilty in November 2023 to conspiring with other officers to use unreasonable force against Burks. He will be sentenced on June 15.
Mark Holdren, Corey Snyder, and Jonathan Walter each pleaded guilty last November to using unreasonable force against Burks resulting in his death. They will be sentenced on June 16.
Steven Nicholas Wimmer was sentenced to nine years in prison and three years of supervised release for his role in Burks’ death. He was convicted of conspiring with other officers to use unreasonable force against Burks.