United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of West Virginia

07/14/2025 | Press release | Archived content

Eighth Former Correctional Officer Sentenced to Prison for Federal Civil Rights Crime in Connection with Death of Inmate at West Virginia Jail

Press Release

Eighth Former Correctional Officer Sentenced to Prison for Federal Civil Rights Crime in Connection with Death of Inmate at West Virginia Jail

Monday, July 14, 2025
Share
  • Facebook
  • X
  • LinkedIn
  • Email
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of West Virginia

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - A former correctional officer from the Southern Regional Jail in Beaver, West Virginia, was sentenced today for his role in an assault that resulted in the death of an inmate, identified by the initials Q.B., on March 1, 2022. Andrew Fleshman, 22, of Shady Spring, was sentenced to eight years and four months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.

According to his plea agreement, Fleshman responded to a call for officer assistance after Q.B. tried to push past another correctional officer and leave his assigned pod. When Correctional Officer Fleshman arrived at the pod, Q.B. was on the floor as force was being used against him. The officers restrained and handcuffed Q.B. Officer Fleshman and other members of the conspiracy then escorted Q.B. to an interview room, where, aided and abetted by each other, they struck and injured Q.B. while he was restrained, handcuffed and posed no threat to anyone. Fleshman admitted that he and the members of the conspiracy struck and injured Q.B. to punish him for attempting to leave his assigned pod.

Fleshman pleaded guilty before Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk on November 2, 2023. That same day, former correctional officer Steven Nicholas Wimmer also pleaded guilty to conspiring to use unreasonable force against Q.B. On May 8, 2025, Chief Judge Volk sentenced Wimmer to nine years in prison.

On November 29, 2023, a federal grand jury indicted six other defendants in connection with the death of Q.B. In November 2024, Mark Holdren, Corey Snyder, and Johnathan Walters each pleaded guilty in connection with the use of unreasonable force against Q.B., resulting in his death. On July 9, 2025, United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin sentenced Holdren to 20 years in prison and sentenced Walter to 21 years in prison. On July 10, 2025, Judge Goodwin sentenced Snyder to 19 years and seven months in prison.

In August 2024, Ashley Toney and Jacob Boothe each pleaded guilty to failing to intervene to protect Q.B. from the officers' assault. On June 9, 2025, Judge Goodwin sentenced Toney to six and a half years in prison. On July 10, 2025, Judge Goodwin sentenced Boothe to three years in prison.

On January 27, 2025, a federal jury returned a guilty verdict at trial for the sixth indicted defendant, Chad Lester, a former lieutenant at the Southern Regional Jail, finding him guilty on three obstruction of justice charges for his role in conspiring to cover up the death of Q.B. On May 15, 2025, Judge Goodwin sentenced Lester to 17 and a half years in prison.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa G. Johnston for the Southern District of West Virginia made the announcement.

The FBI Pittsburgh Field Office, Charleston Resident Agency, investigated the case.

Deputy Chief Christine M. Siscaretti and Trial Attorney Tenette Smith of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case in partnership with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-133.

###

Updated July 21, 2025
Topic
Civil Rights
Components
Civil Rights Division
Civil Rights - Criminal Section
USAO - West Virginia, Southern
United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of West Virginia published this content on July 14, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on July 21, 2025 at 14:05 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at support@pubt.io