Inmate used as enforcer by corrupt Montague County Sheriff

The indicted Montage County Sheriff died last week, unfortunately before being held to account for his numerous crimes against inmates, female informants and the state. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram today has an extended story based on interviews with inmates, guards and other involved parties ("On Sheriff's watch, North Texas jail became den of drugs and debauchery," May 9). Here's a notable excerpt:

Though it remained largely hidden from view, lawlessness and debauchery in the jail continued and intensified, according to interviews with authorities, jailers and prisoners. Luke Bolton’s story, authorities say, is largely consistent with discoveries of state and federal investigators.

Bolton said that in 2006, a few months after his arrest for assaulting his girlfriend, jailer Calvin Morales approached him with an offer that came "from the very top." Keating wanted a misbehaving prisoner to be taught a lesson.

"It was a hit, in other words," Bolton said in the recent interview. "He said, 'If you handle this, it’s two packs of cigarettes.’ They moved [the other prisoner] to [Bolton’s cell]. I whipped him down and stomped on his head.

"Morales [and another deputy] were standing at the window there outside of Cell 19b, and when they saw the blood, they came in and said, 'It’s over.’ They pulled him out, bandaged him up and put him in another cell."

Bolton said he was handed the promised packs of Marlboro reds within minutes, itself a violation of state law. In the months to come, Bolton said he was involved in 17 jailhouse fistfights, almost all of them at the request of the sheriff, either directly or through guards.

Bolton described a jailhouse drug ring that included both prisoners and jailers.

"We were distributing it throughout the jail . . . meth, marijuana, cocaine . . . and the sheriff was getting his 10 percent," Bolton said. "I was told this by Calvin Morales, that the sheriff was getting his 10 percent."