Federal Prison Inmate Found Guilty of Possessing Two Metal Shanks

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – DALE GOLDEN, 43, a former inmate of the Federal Correctional Institution in El Reno, Oklahoma, has been found guilty by a federal jury of possessing contraband in prison, announced Robert J. Troester, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma.

According to charges filed on September 20, 2017, Golden possessed prohibited objects while incarcerated at the El Reno prison.  In particular, he possessed two metal shanks, objects that were intended to be used as weapons.  Evidence at trial indicated a prison official discovered Golden sharpening the shanks in a prison metal detail shop.  According to the evidence, the shanks had fallen on the floor near Golden and were hot from the metal-working process.

Today a jury found Golden guilty after listening to one day of testimony and deliberating for approximately three-and-a-half hours.

Sentencing will take place in approximately ninety days.  As a result of this conviction, Golden could face five years in prison, three years of supervised release at the end of his prison term, and a $250,000 fine.

This case is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ Special Investigative Services—FCI El Reno.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas J. Patterson and Ashley Altshuler prosecuted the case.