Now-former McClain Co. Detention Officer pleads guilty in federal court to civil rights misdemeanor charge

McCLAIN COUNTY, Okla. (KFOR) - A now-former McClain County Jail detention officer had pleaded guilty to moving a detainee into a jail cell full of aggressive inmates who wanted to hurt him.

The former officer is now facing punishment and no longer works at the jail.

Court documents said it all started as an argument over smokeless tobacco.

Former McClain County detention officer, Kyle Tecumseh moved a detainee into a cell full of rival gang members, knowing he would most likely get attacked.

“It will keep him from ever being a law enforcement officer. He wanted to be going to law enforcement as a career. And that's that won't happen now,” said David Smith, Kyle Tecumseh’s former attorney. 

Since Tecumseh is Native American, the case went Federal.  

According to the affidavit, while McClain County inmate, Brian Brannon, worked as a trustee inside the county jail, another inmate, Woodrow Greenback, allowed Brannon to use smokeless tobacco. However, Greenback told him not to take it back to his cell and Brannon didn’t listen. 

"The young man who got hurt smuggled some into the cell and my client found it and said, we got to figure out what to do to discipline you for that,” said Richard Anderson, Kyle Tecumseh’s current attorney.  

Attorney Richard Anderson represented Tecumseh in the Federal case. 

Court documents show Tecumseh told Brannon to write a four-page apology letter to him for sneaking tobacco into his cell. The next day he confronted Brannon and asked if he had written the letter. Brannon told Tecumseh he did not. 

According to the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office, that’s when Tecumseh, “moved [Brannon] into a jail cell with a senior United Aryan Brotherhood (UAB) gang member [Woodrow Greenback] whom Tecumseh knew was angry at and posed a danger to Brannon.” 

Tecumseh then allowed several other gang members into the cell with him knowing an attack was likely to happen. 

Those gang members physically attacked Brannon, causing a scar on his upper lip. 

The affidavit reads, “Later that evening Brannon completed and gave Tecumseh the four-page apology letter.” 

After an investigation was launched, Tecumseh was charged with multiple felony counts including maiming and conspiracy, but in a plea deal with federal prosecutors, he pleaded guilty to a civil rights misdemeanor charge.  

Tecumseh’s attorney blames those in charge at the jail. 

“It's really unfortunate. There was really a lack of training by the McClain County Sheriff's Office to his jailers on what they're supposed to do under the circumstances,” said Anderson.  

The McClain County Sheriff’s Office did not directly comment on the case. Instead, they provided KFOR with bullet points highlighting the systems and processes in place at the Detention Center. One of the highlights explained the training process. New employees must complete 120 hours of training, plus additional mandatory training hours to maintain their employee status. It also says shift supervisors are also trained to recognize behavior by staff that may indicate the potential for misconduct. 

You can see more of what they sent KFOR below: 

Tecumseh is serving 12 months' probation, plus paying a fine of $1,000. He will never be able to serve as a law enforcement officer. Tecumseh told KFOR he is now a plumber. 

KFOR got into contact with Brannon for a comment. He said he would need to talk with his attorney first as they still have an open lawsuit case against McClain County. KFOR followed up with him but have not heard back yet.