BEAVER, W.Va. — A former lieutenant at the Southern Regional Jail has been convicted of multiple charges related to the cover-up of an assault that led to an inmate’s death, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
Following a four-day trial, a federal jury found Chad Lester, 35, guilty on Jan. 27 of conspiracy to engage in witness tampering, witness tampering and making false statements. Prosecutors alleged that Lester played a key role in concealing the use of unlawful force against an inmate, identified as Q.B., on March 1, 2022.
According to evidence presented at trial, Q.B. attempted to push past officers to leave his assigned pod, prompting correctional staff to restrain him. Several officers then transported Q.B. to an interview room without surveillance cameras, where he was subjected to excessive force while handcuffed and restrained, prosecutors said. According to prosecutors, the assault continued as he was moved to the jail’s A-Pod, during which he became unresponsive and unable to walk on his own.
Lester was accused of directing officers to submit false reports and omit key details about the incident. The U.S. Attorney’s Office stated that he also threatened officers he suspected of cooperating with investigators by assigning them difficult work tasks and warning them against speaking out. On Oct. 5, 2023, Lester made false statements to the FBI about the circumstances of Q.B.’s injuries and death, according to court documents.
“Mr. Lester was the ringleader of the effort to cover up this horrific beating and keep the truth from the light of justice. He obviously failed at that,” United States Attorney Will Thompson said.
Lester faces a maximum sentence of 45 years in prison, with sentencing set for April.
His conviction is part of a broader investigation that has led to charges against multiple former correctional officers at the jail. The U.S. Attorney’s Office reported that six other officers were indicted in connection with the assault and cover-up, with all having entered guilty pleas.
Among those who pleaded guilty were Ashley Toney, 25, and Jacob Boothe, 27, who admitted on Aug. 8, 2024, to failing to intervene to protect Q.B. from excessive force. Their sentencing dates are set for Feb. 18 and Feb. 19, 2025, respectively.
Other officers, including Mark Holdren, 40, Johnathan Walters, 33, and Cory Snyder, 30, pleaded guilty to civil rights violations resulting in Q.B.’s death. They are scheduled to be sentenced in March 2025. Two additional former correctional officers, Steven Nicholas Wimmer, 25, and Andrew Fleshman, 22, pleaded guilty in November 2023 to conspiring to violate Q.B.’s civil rights and are set to be sentenced on Feb. 7, 2025.
