Corrections Officer Guilty of Beating Up South Jersey Prisoner

A Woodbury man has been found guilty of the assault of an inmate at the South Woods State Prison in Bridgeton.

The finding of guilty happened on Thursday after a trial in the Superior Court in Bridgeton.

READ MORE: New Jersey Can't Turn Left
READ MORE: Big Lottery Win for New Jersey Teacher

Get our free mobile app

Guilty of Assault

According to Cumberland County Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae, Cortlen S. Flax, 37, was convicted in a case that goes back to 2017. The jury in the case deliberated for two hours.

Flax was found guilty of simple assault in an incident that occurred at the prison on February 15, 2017.

At the time, Flax was a corrections officer at South Woods State Prison when he entered the cell of Julio Valdez of Jersey City. Valdez was 61 years old at the time.

Evidence showed that Flax, without being provoked, struck Valdez in the head. "The incident was reported the next day to another officer, who escorted Valdez to the infirmary. There, medical staff noted blood clots and dried blood in Valdez’s left ear, and he was subsequently diagnosed with a ruptured eardrum."

Sentencing scheduled in the case

Webb-McRae says sentencing for Flax is scheduled for September 5th. Flax could get up to ten years in prison.

SOURCE: Cumberland County Prosecutor's Office.