Former Georgia Corrections Officer Sentenced in Floyd County Jail Assault
ROME, Ga. — A former Georgia Department of Corrections officer was sentenced Thursday to two years in prison and eight years of probation for his role in a violent assault on an inmate at the Floyd County Jail.
Joshua Lee Riddle, 32, was sentenced by Floyd County Superior Court Judge Kay Ann King after pleading guilty to battery, cruelty to an inmate, and violation of his oath of office. The attack occurred in November as the inmate was being transported from the county jail to state prison.
According to prosecutors, Riddle assaulted the inmate inside the jail, threatening to kill him and inflicting serious injuries. Floyd County Assistant District Attorney Natalee Staats said the beating caused lasting hearing and vision problems for the inmate. The victim had previously been sentenced to prison on child molestation charges.
Riddle was one of five individuals charged in connection with the incident. Staats noted that despite the severity of the crime, Riddle had a previously spotless record, including 10 years of service, and fully cooperated with investigators.
“He fully cooperated with the GBI and even tried very hard not to implicate anyone else,” Staats told the court. “And he told almost anyone who would listen what he had done.”
Investigators alleged that former GDOC investigator Hannah Danielle Rittweger provided Riddle with the inmate’s name prior to the assault. Former GDOC officer Donna Michelle Pettyjohn is accused of checking whether surveillance cameras were present in the jail’s dress-out area before the attack took place.
Former GDOC officer Billy Joe Lingerfelt and former Floyd County Sheriff’s Office deputy Logan Eugene Nelson were also charged. Prosecutors say they acted as lookouts and attempted to conceal the assault. All five were accused of participating in efforts to cover up the incident.
While acknowledging Riddle’s work history and cooperation, Staats emphasized that correction officers are entrusted with the care and custody of inmates, not punishment.
“Riddle was given the trust by the Department of Corrections,” Staats said. “Their officers are not in the business of punishing inmates.”
Judge King expressed sympathy during sentencing, noting the significant personal consequences Riddle has already faced, including the loss of his job and the impact on his family.
“You lost your job, which was a good one, and this has affected your family and employability, plus you have a young daughter,” King said from the bench. “But your job as a corrections officer is not to punish a child molester for his crimes, no matter how bad they are.”
The case remains part of a broader prosecution involving multiple former law enforcement and corrections officials accused of abusing their authority and attempting to conceal the assault.
This story was first reported on northwestgeorgianews.com
