Federal Inmate Sentenced To 80 Months For Assaulting Fellow Inmate

SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that United States District Judge Robert Mariani sentenced Efrain Rodriguez, age 43, to 80 months’ imprisonment for assaulting a fellow inmate while incarcerated at the United States Penitentiary Canaan (USP Canaan) in Waymart, Pennsylvania.

According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, Rodriguez previously pleaded guilty to the assault, during which he slashed another inmate in the face with a razor blade fastened to a toothbrush.  Following the attack, Rodriguez flushed the makeshift weapon down the toilet.  The victim suffered gruesome slash wounds on both cheeks that required extensive suturing and resulted in permanent scars and disfigurement.  Rodriguez had been serving a sentence at USP Canaan pursuant to a 2014 federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm. 

Judge Mariani found Rodriguez to be a career offender, in consideration of his extensive criminal history.  His 80 months sentence is to run consecutive to his current sentence.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and officers from USP Canaan.  Assistant United States Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo prosecuted the case.

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