PHILADELPHIA, PA — A former Philadelphia correctional officer has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for a series of civil rights violations committed against an inmate at the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility, following a jury conviction earlier this year.
Ivory S. Cousins, 36, of Glassboro, New Jersey, was sentenced on Thursday, July 24, by U.S. District Judge Juan R. Sánchez to 60 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $325 special assessment. The charges stemmed from an August 2024 federal indictment in which Cousins was accused of abusing her position of authority, failing to protect a vulnerable inmate, and falsifying official records.
The case centered on a violent incident in which an inmate was assaulted by others in his housing unit. Rather than intervene appropriately, Cousins ignored the victim’s serious injuries, withheld medical attention, and actively obstructed efforts to address the situation.
Evidence presented at trial revealed that Cousins deliberately prevented a superior officer from seeing the injured inmate and took no action to secure medical assistance. When another officer later discovered the injured inmate and initiated a call for help, Cousins escalated the situation by deploying pepper spray against the inmate, despite his clear state of distress and non-aggression.
Further misconduct followed. Once the injured inmate was removed for treatment, Cousins facilitated the theft of his personal belongings by one of the assailants—an act federal prosecutors described as compounding the harm rather than restoring order. She then compounded her actions by submitting a false report that mischaracterized the incident, claiming the victim had been the aggressor and had used a weapon during a fight.
A federal jury convicted Cousins in April on three counts of depriving the inmate of his civil rights under color of law and one count of filing a false report.
“Corrections officers have significant authority over the inmates in their charge and it’s their duty to wield that power responsibly,” said U.S. Attorney David Metcalf. “If they fail to meet this standard, and violate a prisoner’s civil rights, as with Ivory Cousins, they will be prosecuted and held accountable.”
Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office, emphasized the broader implications of the case. “Today’s sentencing serves as a powerful reminder that no one is above the law — especially those who take an oath to uphold it,” he said. “The FBI, together with our partners, will continue to pursue allegations of civil rights violations and abuses of power with determination and integrity.”
The case was jointly investigated by the FBI and the Philadelphia Department of Prisons. Prosecutors credited the city’s prison officials for their cooperation and transparency throughout the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Everett Witherell and Jessica Rice led the prosecution for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
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