Sedgwick County deputy accused of shoving, slapping handcuffed inmate

A Sedgwick County deputy has been charged with mistreatment of a confined person in connection to a Jan. 30 incident where he allegedly shoved and slapped an inmate who was in handcuffs, Sheriff Jeff Easter said Tuesday.

Easter said the incident, which was witnessed by two deputies, happened while the inmate was in a holding cell at the courthouse awaiting a hearing.

The inmate was “handcuffed and shackled in the front,” Easter said, and started rubbing the handcuffs against the wall. The inmate was told to stop before the deputy went into the cell and “pushed the inmate and then slapped him with an open hand” on the face.

The inmate wasn’t injured, Easter said.

Matthew Stineman, 47, was placed on restricted duty the same day as the incident. Stineman was charged in Sedgwick County District Court on Feb. 21.

Stineman has been with the Sheriff’s Office roughly 13 years. The deputy does courtroom security.

“What I will tell you is this is out of character for this particular deputy,” Easter said. “We have not had any type of issues before with this particular deputy, but it does not recuse him from acting professionally and with a manner that we would expect in the Sheriff’s Office.”

Stineman will be on restricted duty until the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office completes its investigation. Easter said Stineman won’t have contact with inmates during that time.

The mistreatment of a confined person is a misdemeanor.

“In cases like this, we have suspended and reassigned. So it’s kind of based on the nature of the crime that was charged and also the need within the Sheriff’s Office. Because I’m not a big fan of suspending someone just to stay at home,” Easter said. For felony charges, “we have never done that. If you are charged with a felony, you are relieved from duty with pay.”

Earlier in February, Easter announced that eight jail deputies were suspended with pay after an investigation into selling and using steroids. The alleged steroid use and selling was between the deputies, Easter said.

Those deputies could face felony charges of unlawful distribution of a controlled substance and misdemeanor charges of unlawful possession of a controlled substance, Easter said.

This story was originally published February 25, 2020 at 11:53 AM.