March 20, 2026
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A former prison guard at Philadelphia's Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility pleaded guilty to charges that he pepper-sprayed five subdued inmates over a three-month stretch in 2023.
A former Philadelphia prison guard pleaded guilty Thursday to pepper-spraying five subdued inmates at Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility in Holmesburg in 2023.
Christopher Knight, 47, of Philadelphia, was charged with civil rights violations and falsifying records stemming from five incidents that occurred over a three-month period.
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The first occurred on Jan. 8, 2023. Knight pepper-sprayed an inmate who was lying face down on the ground with his hands behind his back, federal prosecutors said. Knight also allegedly struck the man while handcuffing him and again after the handcuffs were in place.
Two days later, Knight allegedly pepper-sprayed two more inmates. One was being escorted down the hall by another guard. The other was returning to his cell. Knight continued to pepper-spray the second man after he was handcuffed, investigators said.
On March 20, 2023, Knight allegedly sprayed an inmate who was writing on a piece of paper, and continued after the man laid on the ground in pain. Four days later, Knight sprayed another inmate who was lying face down on the ground, prosecutors said.
Knight also allegedly falsified use-of-force reports by knowingly omitting details of his actions.
He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 15. He faces a maximum prison sentence of 90 years.
The Philadelphia Department of Prisons did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
