HARRISBURG, Pa. — A former Pennsylvania corrections officer has pleaded guilty to multiple charges stemming from incidents in which two trainees were assaulted during what investigators described as hazing at a state prison.
Garrett Anthony Smead, 29, a former corrections officer at State Correctional Institution (SCI) Forest, pleaded guilty on March 18 to two counts each of indecent assault, indecent exposure, unlawful restraint and related offenses, according to the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General.
The charges stem from incidents reported to have happened on May 21, 2025, inside SCI Forest in Jenks Township, according to Explore Jefferson. According to a criminal complaint filed by the Pennsylvania State Police, the alleged conduct took place in control areas known as the J-Unit and K-Unit “bubbles.”
According to the complaint, Smead, then a corrections officer, brought a trainee into the J-Unit control area, where the two began wrestling. Investigators allege Smead restrained the trainee by handcuffing him to a ladder before engaging in inappropriate and non-consensual conduct.
The complaint states the trainee was later escorted back to another unit, where he was again restrained for a short period before being released by other staff. Authorities noted the trainee had visible marks and bruising consistent with restraint.
A second trainee was reportedly involved in a separate incident later that evening.
Smead attempted to engage physically with the second trainee, which led to a struggle, Explore Jefferson reports. The complaint alleges Smead restrained the trainee by handcuffing him to fixtures in the control area and securing his legs, leaving him immobilized.
Authorities allege Smead then engaged in additional inappropriate conduct before leaving the area. The trainee was later freed by other staff members and also reported injuries consistent with restraint.
In one incident, the Attorney General said Smead wrote “Property of G. Smead” on a trainee’s body. Both trainees were left restrained in handcuffs until other officers intervened and released them.
Investigators said 11 staff members witnessed portions of the incidents. According to the complaint, their statements were consistent with each other and aligned with accounts provided by the two trainees.
Smead was initially charged in September 2025 with 12 offenses, including indecent assault, unlawful restraint, false imprisonment, simple assault and harassment.
Attorney General Dave Sunday said the case reflects a breach of responsibility.
“The defendant’s actions are betrayals of the responsibility that comes with being a corrections officer,” Sunday said. “These acts caused physical and emotional harm to the victims while threatening the public trust in the criminal justice system. Conduct like this unfairly leaves a stain on the many public servants who act bravely and heroically on a daily basis.”
