June 2, 2015

Schuylkill Federal Correctional Institution Inmate Charged in the Assault of a Corrections Officer

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, announced today that a Criminal Indictment was returned by a federal grand jury sitting in Scranton charging federal prison inmate Deshon Thomas, age 40, with allegedly assaulting a federal corrections officer at the Schuylkill Federal Correctional Institution in August of 2013, causing bodily injury.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The case is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Todd K. Hinkley.

Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

The maximum penalty under federal law is eight years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a $250,000 fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant’s educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.