By C1 Staff
POLK COUNTY, Ga. — Inmates who stepped in to help a deputy who passed out during work detail are receiving cuts in their sentences.
Sheriff Johnny Moats told 11 Alive News that he is cutting one-fourth of the inmates’ sentences.
“Anytime we have a trustee or inmate crew, that goes beyond normal duties, we cut them some extra time off,” Moats said.
The six inmates and the deputy work together seven hours a day, five days a week. They told the news station they immediately noticed something was wrong with the deputy and jumped into action. The deputy suffers from chronic Chiari malformation, which prevents fluids from flowing properly. He believes the inmates deserve their reward.
“That moment when they’re out, they’re not really inmates to you,” the deputy said. “They’re just a group of guys and you’re out. You try to be more like friends and in my case, it just worked out for the better.”
The deputy has since been taken off work detail and placed on patrol.