Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced the guilty plea of DAQUAN SEYMOUR, a supervisor at the Horizon Juvenile Center (“Horizon”), a secure detention center for juveniles located in the Bronx, New York, in connection with his beating of a 16-year-old resident at Horizon (“Minor Victim-1”), and attempt to cover-up the beating, on April 25, 2022. SEYMOUR pled guilty to depriving Minor Victim-1 of his constitutional rights under color of law. As part of his guilty plea, SEYMOUR admitted that he prepared a false report following the assault of Minor Victim-1 on April 25, 2022, in which he omitted reference to the assault of Minor Victim-1. In addition, as part of his guilty plea, SEYMOUR also agreed not to dispute that he falsified another incident report in connection with an earlier attempted assault of a 17-year-old resident at Horizon (“Minor Victim-2”) on December 29, 2021. SEYMOUR was arrested on July 26, 2023, and pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Daquan Seymour, a supervisor at a juvenile detention facility, abused his position of authority by assaulting a vulnerable sixteen-year-old boy who was detained pending trial. Seymour also lied on his reports about this and another assault on a minor in his care. Seymour’s pattern of violence toward youth and obstruction has now come to an end as he faces justice. This Office is committed to protecting the constitutional rights of all New Yorkers, including minors residing at youth detention facilities, and will ensure that those who abuse their power and harm vulnerable members of our society are held accountable.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment, Superseding Indictment, other public court documents, and statements made in court proceedings:
On or about April 25, 2022, SEYMOUR was employed as an Associate Youth Development Specialist at Horizon, which was operated by the New York City Administration for Children’s Services (“ACS”). Associate Youth Development Specialists at Horizon are responsible for, among other things, supervising other staff members and ensuring the safety of all juvenile residents.
At the time of the beating, Minor Victim-1 was a 16-year-old juvenile resident at Horizon, who was detained pending trial. Following a confrontation between several staff members and juvenile residents at Horizon, including Minor Victim-1, SEYMOUR, along with a fellow supervisor violently dragged Minor Victim-1 by his forearms across the floor of a residential hall and into a private room (the “Room”). Once inside the Room, SEYMOUR and the other supervisor beat Minor Victim-1, striking him repeatedly and forcefully as Minor Victim-1 lay on the floor. As a result of the beating, Minor Victim-1 suffered bodily injuries, including a deep laceration to his upper lip area, which required Minor Victim-1 to be transported to a nearby hospital for emergency medical care where he received nine stitches.
Following the beating of Minor Victim-1, SEYMOUR attempted to cover up his participation in the beating. In particular, SEYMOUR prepared an incident report that described the confrontation between Horizon residents and staff members that immediately preceded the assault but failed to disclose that he dragged or physically assaulted Minor Victim-1.
SEYMOUR, 34, of the Bronx, New York, pled guilty to one count of deprivation of rights under color of law, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the efforts of the Department of Investigation for their outstanding work on this matter. Mr. Williams also thanked the Special Agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York for their significant assistance.
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