September 18, 2014

Beaumont Federal Inmate Sentenced for Deadly Assault

BEAUMONT, TX—A 23-year-old Forsyth, Missouri man serving time at a Beaumont federal prison has been sentenced for the deadly assault of another inmate in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today.

Jacob Smith pleaded guilty on Apr. 16, 2014 to assault with intent to commit murder and was sentenced to 150 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Ron Clark.

According to information presented in court, on Oct. 25, 2012, Smith was incarcerated at the Beaumont Federal Correctional Institution—Medium facility in Beaumont, Texas. Smith and another prisoner entered the cell of inmate Edward Lee Bowlin, who they incorrectly believed was incarcerated for crimes related to sexual contact with children. They assaulted Bowlin with their hands and feet and then left the cell. Shortly thereafter, Smith returned to Bowlin’s cell and continued to beat him causing Bowlin to sustain serious head and brain trauma. Bowlin fell into a coma, in which he remained until his death on Nov. 25, 2013. Smith was indicted by a federal grand jury on Aug. 7, 2013.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Prisons and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher T. Tortorice.