Blount County District Attorney Press Release Re: Former Blount County Jail Corrections Sergeant Joseph Ray Snow Sentenced
Former Blount County Corrections Sergeant Sentenced to 10 Years for Assault on Inmate
ONEONTA, Ala. — October 21, 2025 — Blount County District Attorney Pamela Casey announced today that former Blount County Jail corrections sergeant Joseph Ray Snow, age 45, has been sentenced to 10 years in the Alabama Department of Corrections following his conviction for Assault in the Second Degree and Failure of Duty or Violation of the Law.
The conviction stems from a December 3, 2022, incident in which Snow assaulted an inmate in the booking area at the Blount County Correctional Facility. The inmate, Jonathan Carl Calloway, had been arrested by Oneonta police officers on a charge of public intoxication and transported to jail without incident.
Surveillance video played during the trial showed Snow exiting the enclosed desk area in the booking room and violently slamming the inmate’s head against a wall. The two struggled and eventually fell to the floor, where the assault continued. Testimony presented by the prosecution established that during the booking process, Calloway fully cooperated, answered all questions, showed no aggression, and in no way demonstrated a need for physical force. The incident was investigated by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA).
At sentencing, District Attorney Casey presented evidence that Snow had assaulted a female inmate prior to this incident, though that event was not discovered until earlier this year. That assault was also captured on video.
District Attorney Casey said, “The badge represents integrity, duty, and service. Ninety-nine percent of officers live up to that every day. This case is the exception, not the rule. When someone entrusted with authority abuses it, accountability is not optional — it’s essential to protect both the public and the reputation of the many honorable men and women who serve in law enforcement.”