Fourth corrections officer charged after video shows inmate beating in Lake County

LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — A prison beating caught on camera sent three Lake County corrections officers to a courtroom and an inmate to a hospital.

Now a fourth officer has been charged and the case could get even bigger.

Lake County corrections officer, Ian Gretka, 25, is under arrest for his alleged part in this July 8 beating of an inmate that was discovered when the video what posted on YouTube.

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The four suspects all face felony charges and if convicted, they could end up in a cellblock similar to the ones they patrolled while they were on the job.

Corrections officials said this investigation isn't over, and want to know if anyone else inside prison, or even on the outside, has more information in this case.

Officials still don't know how a cellphone was smuggled in, and how that video made it online.
Investigators promised "anyone found to have acted outside their authorities, or department standards, will be held accountable."

Officials said the video was illegally filmed inside the state prison near Clermont, and shows how Gretka joined fellow officers Hunter Lingo and Joshua Petersilge in an attack on the  43-year-old inmate Otis Miller

The state called the incident "cruel and inhumane," after Lingo and Petersilge were first arrested, along with 12-year veteran, Capt. Milton Gass, who was accused of lying about the incident and trying to cover it up.

All four corrections officers who were arrested are now fired.

In this recent affidavit, investigators noted Gretka never evaluated the situation to establish whether it was legal to use force against Otis Miller. But instead, immediately began punching Miller, striking him at least 13 times around his torso.

Investigators also found Gretka never filed a required "use of force" report.

They said Miller was hospitalized for numerous external and internal injuries to his ribs, eye, face and jaw and moved to another facility during the investigation.

On Monday, the Florida Department of Corrections Office of Inspector General, that led the investigation, reiterated, "The department of corrections will not tolerate inmate abuse at any level."

Meanwhile, court dates for the first three officers arrested were reset for next Monday.

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