Federal Inmate Convicted of Assaulting and Maiming a Corrections Officer and Related Charges
| U.S. Attorney’s Office August 20, 2009 |
CLARKSBURG, WV—A 40 year old federal inmate was convicted by a Federal Trial Jury on August 19, 2009, in United States District Court in Clarksburg before Judge Irene M. Keeley.
United States Attorney Sharon L. Potter announced that MAURICIO MICHEL was convicted on seven counts of an Indictment after a three-day trial. MICHEL was convicted of three counts of assaulting a Corrections Officer with a deadly weapon on August 31, 2007, at USP Hazelton; one count of maiming a Corrections Officer on August 31, 2007, at USP Hazelton; one count of forcibly resisting Corrections Officers with a dangerous weapon on August 31, 2007, at USP Hazelton; one count of assaulting a Corrections Officer resulting in injury on March 17, 2009, at the Central Regional Jail in Flatwoods; and one count of forcibly resisting Corrections Officers resulting in injury on March 17, 2009, at Central Regional Jail in Flatwoods.
According to USA Potter, “Evidence presented at trial proved that MICHEL assaulted a Corrections Officer at USP Hazelton on August 31, 2007, by throwing a hot liquid on the Officer. While the Officer was reacting to the burn, MICHEL repeatedly stabbed the Officer with a sharpened homemade weapon. MICHEL swung the weapon at two other Officers who responded.”
“Testimony at trial also proved that on March 17, 2009, while at the Central Regional Jail at Flatwoods, MICHEL assaulted a Corrections Officer and resisted Corrections Officers and they had to physically gain control of MICHEL resulting in injury to the Corrections Officers,” said USA Potter.
MICHEL, who is in custody, faces a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment on each of the seven counts.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David E. Godwin.
The investigation at USP Hazelton was conducted by the Special Investigative Services at USP Hazelton and the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and the investigation at the Central Regional Jail in Flatwoods was conducted by the United States Marshal Service with the cooperation of the Regional Jail.