Former USP Big Sandy Inmate Sentenced 45 Years for Assault with Intent to Murder Inmate and Other Charges

JONESVILLE, VA—The United States Attorney’s Office, United States (USP) Penitentiary Big Sandy and the Federal Bureau of Investigation jointly announced today that a former Big Sandy inmate was sentenced yesterday to 45 years in prison for assaulting an inmate with the intent to murder, assaulting two corrections officers that resulted in bodily injury, and possessing prison-made weapons.

United States District Court Judge Amul Thapar ordered 28 year-old Eric Eymard’s 45-year sentence to run consecutive to his remaining unserved prison time.

According to the Bureau of Prisons website, Eymard’s current prison sentence will expire in 2028 and at that time the 45-year sentence will begin.

Judge Thapar sentenced Eymard, originally of Oklahoma City, Okla., to the statutory maximum term of imprisonment for each count of conviction. Eymard received a sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment for the assault of his Big Sandy cell-mate, 20 years for the assault of the two corrections officers and five years for his possession of prison-made weapons. Judge Thapar also ordered Eymard to pay $29,373.17 in restitution to the victims.

Eymard pleaded guilty yesterday to the charges and was subsequently sentenced inside USP Lee located in Jonesville, Va. where Eymard currently resides.

In the course of his guilty plea, Eymard admitted that on November 4, 2007, he repeatedly stabbed his cell-mate in the neck with a prison-made weapon. After the assault, Eymard told officers that he had intended to kill his cell-mate. As a result of Eymard’s attack, his cell-mate required surgery and hospitalization.

Eymard also admitted that on May 21, 2009, while being prepared for transportation from USP Big Sandy to federal court in Ashland, Ky., he stabbed two USP Big Sandy corrections officers with a prison-made plexiglass weapon. As a result of Eymard’s attack, both officers suffered bodily injuries. One officer was left with cuts on his head and face and the other suffered a puncture wound under his left eye.

The United States originally indicted Eymard in September of 2008 on the assault with intent to murder charge. He was charged yesterday for the assault of the corrections officers and possession of prison-made weapons. Eymard immediately pleaded guilty to the charges and waived his right to have a 70 day time-period between his plea and sentence. Eymard’s original charge of assault with intent to murder was transferred from the Pikeville Docket in the Eastern District of Kentucky to the Big Stone Gap Docket in the Western District of Virginia.

Under federal law, Eymard must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence, and, upon release, will be under the supervision of the United States Probation Office for three years.

The investigation was conducted by USP Big Sandy, Special Investigative Services, and the FBI. The United States was represented in the case by Assistant United States Attorney Robert M. Duncan, Jr.