MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)), published as received.

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Joseph Nelson Ebert, 35, a former shift supervisor at the McCurtain County Jail in Idabel, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to a one count Information of Conspiracy Against Rights, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine, and to a one-count Information of Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law, also punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine.

An Information filed against Ebert on July 2, 2026, alleged that on or about September 15, 2021, Ebert, while acting pursuant to his authority as a shift supervisor at the McCurtain County Jail, knowingly and willfully conspired with others to injure, oppress, threaten, and intimidate an arrestee in the free exercise and enjoyment of the right, protected by the Constitution and laws of the United States, to be free from unreasonable seizure, which includes the right to be free from the use of unreasonable force by a person acting under color of law.

A second Information filed against Ebert on July 2, 2026, alleged that on or about January 4, 2022, while acting under color of law as a shift supervisor in the McCurtain County Jail, Ebert willfully deprived a pretrial detainee of the right, secured and protected by the Constitution and laws of the United States, not to be deprived of liberty without due process of law, which includes the right to be free from the use of unreasonable force by a correctional officer.  Ebert physically assaulted the detainee, who was restrained and not posing a threat to anyone.  The assault resulted in bodily injury to the detainee.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.

A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Ebert will remain free on bond with conditions pending sentencing.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Paladino represented the United States.