WILLIAMSPORT, PA—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that charges have been filed in U.S. District Court in Williamsport against Loren N. Smith and Jessy A. Nelson, who are currently confined at the U.S. Penitentiary, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.

According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, Nelson, age 30, and Smith, age 36, are charged in separate one-count felony Informations with allegedly assaulting another Lewisburg inmate by punching and kicking him in the head in December 2014.

The government filed plea agreements with each defendant which are subject to approval by the court.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Service. Assistant United States Attorney Wayne P. Samuelson has been assigned to prosecute the cases.

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 guilty is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statues and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

In both cases, the maximum penalty under the federal statutes is 10 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine of $250,000. 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 necessarily an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.