Ex-Suffolk CO Jason Middleton sentenced to 18 months in prison for sexually abusing inmate

A former Suffolk County correction officer was sentenced to 18 months behind bars Tuesday for sexually assaulting an inmate at the Riverhead jail in 2023.

Jason Middleton, 37, of Central Islip, had pleaded guilty June 26 to third-degree criminal sexual act, admitting to forcing the inmate to perform a sex act on him while he was on duty. He was sentenced to 1 year in jail on the top charge and an additional 6 months for his guilty plea to official misconduct.

"The vast majority of correction officers uphold their duties with the honesty and professionalism our justice system depends on," Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said in a statement. "This defendant took advantage of the trust placed with him to commit an outrageous abuse of power and a serious crime.”

Middleton, who had been free awaiting sentencing, was ushered out of the court in handcuffs to the jail guarded by the same department he once served. The Suffolk County Sheriff's Office said he would not be housed within the county long term, declining to say to which jail he will be transported.

Prosecutors said the incident occurred between June and August 2023, when Middleton escorted the inmate to a utility walkway between jail cells he knew to be a blind spot for security cameras. He closed a door and ordered the inmate to comply with his orders, prosecutors said.

Middleton previously threatened to plant contraband in the inmate's cell if the inmate didn't listen to him, prosecutors said.

Middleton, who was suspended without pay following his November 2023 arrest and has since resigned from his job, will be required to register as a sex offender as a condition of his plea. His risk-level assessment hearing will likely be held next summer, acting State Supreme Court Justice Karen Wilutis told him Tuesday.

Wilutis, without getting into specific details, expressed disappointment that Middleton showed two different sides of himself when being interviewed by probation and during a forensic evaluation as part of the presentencing.

"My words to you when you serve your sentence is to really understand who you are, because you seem to change,” the judge cautioned. "Take a good look at yourself and figure out who you are.”

Middleton did not address the court during sentencing.

Defense attorney James Pascarella, of Mineola, declined to comment as he left the courtroom with his client’s parents, who attended the sentencing in support of their son.

The victim was not present and did not address the court.

Suffolk County Sheriff Errol D. Toulon Jr. said his office has "zero tolerance" for the type of conduct that led to Middleton's arrest.

“The crimes committed by this officer are inexcusable and are absolutely inconsistent with the standards, integrity and professionalism demonstrated every day by the men and women of the Sheriff’s Office," Toulon said in a statement.

By Grant Parpan

grant.parpan@newsday.com@GrantParpan

Grant Parpan covers Suffolk County courts and federal courts for Newsday. A Long Island native, he joined Newsday in 2022.