William “Buddy” Sentner was a criminal investigator in the Justice IG’s Florida field office. He and other IG special agents in that office were responsible for conducting criminal investigations in federal prisons throughout Florida. In 2006 Buddy and other IG agents investigated allegations that a ring of correctional officers in the Coleman federal prison in Tallahassee were sexually abusing female inmates. Working with the FBI and the local US Attorney’s Office, Buddy and the other investigators uncovered evidence leading to the indictment of six Tallahassee correctional officers for smuggling contraband into the prison in exchange for sex, sexually abusing female inmates, and threatening female inmates with retaliation if they exposed the officers’ crimes.

On June 21, 2006, Buddy, other IG agents, and FBI agents working with them went to the Tallahassee prison to arrest the indicted correctional officers. Our agents believed it would be safer to arrest the indicted officers at the prison rather than at their homes because personal weapons are not permitted inside the prison facility.

The first two indicted officers were arrested inside the prison without incident. But when our agents went to arrest the third one, the officer walked out from behind the reception desk in the front of the prison, reached into his gym bag, pulled out a gun, and started firing. He first shot a prison lieutenant in the stomach and then went looking for other prison staff and agents to shoot.

Buddy was stationed at the front door of the prison. The officer walked to the front door and shot Buddy, who fell to the ground. Before the officer could shoot anyone else, Buddy leaned up and returned fire, killing the officer. Buddy then fell back down and died.

Buddy was stationed at the front door of the prison. The officer walked to the front door and shot Buddy, who fell to the ground. Before the officer could shoot anyone else, Buddy leaned up and returned fire, killing the officer. Buddy then fell back down and died.

Buddy had a new wife, as well as a large extended family. He was buried with full honors in Orlando, his hometown. Before the burial, a memorial service was held in Orlando’s St. James Cathedral. I was asked to deliver a eulogy for Buddy, which was one of the most difficult things I ever did as an inspector general. I struggled to contain my emotions. I said that while Buddy had recognized that his job was dangerous, he and other law enforcement agents were not afraid and did not shy away from duty or danger. His brave actions under fire had saved the lives of several other federal employees, while he had given his own life.

When Buddy’s death was reported, FBI Director Robert Mueller was the first Justice official to call me. The FBI regularly loses agents in the line of fire. Director Mueller told me that it was the hardest thing he had to deal with as the leader of a law enforcement organization. He offered the resources of the FBI to provide our employees with any help they needed, including grief counselors.

After Buddy’s death, I vowed to concentrate on several things relating to the Justice IG’s law enforcement mission. I sought to ensure that our agents always had all the resources, equipment, and training they needed to do their dangerous jobs as safely as possible. I also pushed harder for the BOP to change its policies regarding searching prison staff when they entered federal facilities. Even after Buddy’s death, the BOP initially resisted changing its policies on screening BOP staff. It seems so basic: if we all have to go through metal detectors to enter federal buildings, federal museums, airplanes, and other public places, the BOP should require its employees to be screened before entering a supposedly secure federal prison.

Even after Buddy’s death, the BOP initially resisted changing its policies on screening BOP staff. It seems so basic: if we all have to go through metal detectors to enter federal buildings, federal museums, airplanes, and other public places, the BOP should require its employees to be screened before entering a supposedly secure federal prison.

Eventually, the BOP agreed to require staff to go through metal detectors to enter federal prisons in November 2007. That was an important change, but it did not go far enough. The BOP took years to implement a policy for searching its staff and their property for contraband before they entered prison facilities. Finally, after ten years of negotiation with its unions, in 2013, after I had left the Justice IG’s office, the BOP finally changed its staff search policy.

Yet even that policy was flawed, according to another Justice IG audit in 2016. While the BOP policy allowed staff to be searched randomly when there was a reasonable basis for suspicion, it did not prescribe any required frequency for conducting random pat searches. In addition, the policy still did not limit the size and content of personal property that BOP staff could carry into prisons. The IG audit also determined that the BOP had continuing problems with its security video camera system. Subsequent IG reviews continued to document problems with the BOP’s efforts to interdict contraband.

Buddy Sentner’s death was a tragedy that could have been prevented. Shortly after his death we created a page on the Justice IG website honoring Buddy’s memory. A Justice IG conference room is named after him. In addition, the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency established an award in Buddy’s name to honor employees from throughout the IG community who have exhibited uncommon selflessness, dedication to duty, or courage. CIGIE presents this honor annually at its awards ceremony.

Buddy Sentner’s death was a tragedy that could have been prevented.

The term hero is often overused. Buddy Sentner and other employees throughout the IG and law enforcement agencies risk their lives to make government more honest and effective and to make our country safer. They are true heroes.

Excerpted from Watchdogs published by University of Virginia Press ©2024