BENTON — A Du Quoin man, who is employed as a correction officer by the Illinois Department of Corrections, pleaded guilty Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Benton to a criminal charge of depriving an inmate of his federal civil rights.

U.S. Attorney Donald S. Boyce says the felony criminal charge to which 30-year-old Dustin A. Fleming pleaded guilty alleged that on Oct. 15 of last year, Fleming assaulted and caused bodily injury to a handcuffed inmate at the Pinckneyville Correctional Center by choking, punching, kneeing and kicking the inmate without any legal justification in violation of the United States Constitution.

Fleming is set to be sentenced on Oct. 18 at 10:30 a.m. at the U.S. District Courthouse in Benton. He faces up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release to follow any term of incarceration imposed. Fleming was placed on bond pending sentencing.

Fleming has been on administrative leave from the Illinois Department of Corrections since the assault occurred.