MIAMI — Investigators say a group of Florida Department of Corrections officers covered up the beating of an inmate inside a Florida City prison cell. Six of the seven named in warrants were arrested, and four bonded out of jail Thursday night in Miami-Dade County.
Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Lody Jean issued arrest warrants Monday for Lt. Shentrica Clark, Capt. Jochen Anglin, Officer Jordy Calero, Sgt. Travon Norman, Sgt. D’Andre Hill, Sgt. Richard Jackson, and Sgt. Freddie Morgan.
The Alleged Crimes
Clark, 40, a supervisor at the Dade Correctional Institution’s Transitional Care Unit, allegedly ordered officers to bring inmate Christopher Castro to her office around 9:30 p.m. on April 5, according to warrants.
Two officers, not facing charges, said they handcuffed Castro and escorted him from a shower area to a spot near Clark’s office — a location without surveillance cameras. They reported leaving him with Anglin, 32; Calero, 23; Norman, 29; Morgan, 35; Hill, 24; and Jackson.
According to records, Castro resisted, and Calero, Norman, Jackson, Hill, and Morgan threw him into a cell and kicked and punched him several times in the face, head, back, and arms while he remained handcuffed.
Witnesses later saw Castro with significant bruising, bleeding, and scratches, a FDOC detective wrote in the warrant request.
The next day, April 6, another supervisor noticed Castro’s injuries and blood on his shirt, ordering photos and a medical exam. That same report described Clark’s account of the incident as “egregiously false.”
Investigators also said someone attempted to clean blood from the holding cell. The FDOC detective asked the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office crime scene unit to collect DNA evidence. Records allege Clark ordered another inmate to clean the cell shortly after the beating.
An FDOC spokesperson confirmed: “All of these staff members were dismissed as quickly as administratively possible.”
Arrests and Cases
Miami-Dade prosecutors filed cases against Clark, Anglin, Calero, Norman, Hill, and Morgan on Monday.
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Clark: Charged with tampering with evidence (felony) and failure to report abuse (misdemeanor). Arrested by State Attorney’s Office, bond set at $5,500.
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Anglin: Charged with perjury not in an official proceeding and failure to report abuse. Arrested by MDSO, bond set at $2,000.
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Calero, Norman, Hill, Morgan: Each charged with perjury not in an official proceeding, failure to report abuse, and use of force or battery on a detainee. Bonds set at $3,000 each for Calero, Norman, and Hill. Morgan’s bond not yet set.
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Jackson: Faced the same three charges but had no court records available. He posted bond yet remained at Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center (TGKCC) Friday afternoon.
By Thursday night, Clark, Anglin, Norman, Calero, and Hill had bonded out of TGKCC.
Miami-Dade Circuit Judges Richard Hersch, Julie Harris Nelson, and Marcus Bach Armas are presiding over the cases.
Victim’s Record
Records show Castro has a lengthy criminal history, including 11 convictions in Hillsborough County. Offenses include armed robbery (2011), armed home invasion (2015), and battery on a law enforcement officer (2019, 2021).
The FDOC has had custody of Castro since December 27, 2023. He is currently housed at Wakulla Correctional Institution Annex, with visitation suspended. His projected release date is June 26, 2032.
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