A year after indictment, now former Jefferson County Correctional Facility Sgt. Clayton Friddle pleaded guilty and faced punishment for multiple acts of “official oppression” – kind of. April 27, Jefferson County 252nd District Court Judge Raquel West “set aside” the guilty pleas and accepted a plea deal that allowed for deferred adjudicated probation for one year to run concurrent for two charges and dismissed a third altogether. Should Friddle complete the year of community supervision, all charges would be dismissed. All charges of official oppression are considered misdemeanor in nature.
“You do not have a conviction on your record,” West told the defendant, advising that this is a “great opportunity.”
According to information from the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office (JCSO), administrators reviewing body worn, facility and in-car cameras discovered that then 33-year-old Friddle “was involved in several acts of Official Oppression as a public servant under the color of his employment as a Correctional Officer, that subjected inmates to mistreatment.”
“Friddle was immediately suspended pending his disciplinary review board hearing. After the hearing he was terminated,” JCSO announced.
Three cases were filed with the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, each representing a separate offense date.