Ten Indicted in Connection with Adams County Correctional Center Riot
| FBI Jackson July 24, 2013 |
Daniel McMullen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Mississippi, and U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis, announced as follows:
Ten additional individuals have been indicted in connection with the riot that occurred at the Adams County Correctional Center (ACCC) in Natchez, Mississippi on May 20, 2012. The ACCC houses approximately 2,500 non-resident aliens who have been convicted of federal charges in the United States. During the riot, several correctional officers were assaulted. Correctional Officer (CO) Catlin Carithers died as a result of injuries he received during these assaults. Other COs were taken captive and held hostage for several hours by participants in the riot. Total damage to ACCC was estimated to be $1,305,142.
The following individuals are being charged with violating Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 1792—instigating, conniving, willfully attempting to cause, assisting, or conspiring to cause any mutiny or riot at a federal correctional facility:
- Gerson Benavides, age 29
- Adrian Romero-Carrera, age 27
- Carlos Flores, age 40
- Ruben Coronado-Licon, age 22
- Ricardo Quintana, age 28
- Margarito Munoz-Astello, age 36
- Bertil James, age 38
- Ian Jeffrey Reid, age 43
- Haisam Ali, age 36
- Raybell Granillo, age 28
Nine other inmates have been previously arrested and charged in connection with the May 20, 2012 riot at ACCC, and four of those inmates have been convicted. The investigation into this incident is ongoing and more arrests are expected.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. Defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial, at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.