Sentencing of Rankin County “Goon Squad” deputies reset for January

By Morgan Howard
Darkhorse Press

Top, L to R: Brett McAlpin, Christian Dedmon, Hunter Elward, Jeffrey Middleton, Josh Hartfield, Daniel Opdyke

The sentencing for the “goon squad” has been delayed.

The “goon squad” is the name of a group of six former Rankin County law enforcement officers who beat and tortured two men.

Their sentencing had been scheduled for November 14th, but U.S. District Judge Tom Lee decided to delay it in response to motions from some of the former officers.

The five former officers of the Rankin County Sheriff’s Office and one former Richland Police Department Investigator were charged with Aggravated Assault, Home Invasion, Obstruction of Justice/Hindering Prosecution in the First Degree, and Conspiracy to Commit Obstruction of Justice/Hinder Prosecution.

The attorneys for victim Michael Jenkins say he was shot in the mouth after the six law enforcement officers spent time beating, assaulting, torturing and tasing him and Eddie Parker. At least one of the men was allegedly assaulted with a sex toy, and they were both allegedly tased repeatedly as the now-former officers played a game to find out whose taser was the strongest, in addition to other alleged forms of torture.

Jenkins lost his tongue in the shooting, in which evidence points to the gun having been inserted in his mouth when it went off.

The FBI opened an investigation into the incident just after the Mississippi Bureau of Investigations did. There are both state and federal charges.

The federal court filings show each officer will be sentenced on the following days:

January 16:

9 a.m.- Hunter Thomas Elward

1 p.m.- Jeffrey Arwood Middleton

January 18:

9 a.m.- Daniel Ready Opdyke

1 p.m.- Christian Lee Dedmon

January 19:

9 a.m.- Brett Morris McAlpin

1 p.m.- Joshua Allen Hartfield

We will continue to keep you updated with the latest on this story.