Two prisoners at the Mansfield Correctional Institute were indicted for allegedly assaulting a corrections officer during the March session of the Richland County Grand Jury.
Roderick Simon Jr., 25, and Tryell Stevenson, 20, both of Youngstown, were indicted on identical charges of assault on a corrections officer and abduction relating to an incident at the Mansfield Correctional Institute on Sept. 15, 2014.
“Essentially, they attacked a guard,” said Assistant Richland County Prosecutor Cliff Murphy. “The abduction [charge] is a restraint on the guard.”
Murphy stated he could not comment on the extent of the guard’s injuries.
“Because of the serious physical harm, the assault on a corrections officer is a felony of the third degree,” he said. “The abduction is also a felony of the third degree.”
According to Murphy, Stevenson was admitted to the institution on Nov. 5, 2012 from Cuyahoga County on a burglary offense. Stevenson is currently not listed in the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction’s offender search database; Murphy explained this could mean he is currently in transition from one prison to another.
Murphy stated Simon was initially admitted to the institution on Feb. 27, 2008, also from Cuyahoga County, for aggravated robbery. According to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, Simon was incarcerated again on Sept. 15, 2009 for aggravated burglary, kidnapping, aggravated robbery, intimidation, attempted rape, felonious assault, participating in a criminal gang, and rape. Simon is currently incarcerated at the Ohio State Penitentiary serving 19 years and his current expected release date is Feb. 19, 2036.
Murphy stated the third-degree felony charges are of a higher tier, meaning the two men could be sentenced an additional five years.
“That’s because the statute talks about certain offenses, crimes of violence where if you have two prior offenses of violence you’re subject to an enhanced penalty,” he said.
Subway robbery
The Richland County Grand Jury indicted a Mansfield man for the robbery of a Subway restaurant that occurred almost a year ago.
Roosevelt Swinning, 35, was indicted on charges of aggravated robbery with firearm specification and robbery with firearm specification after allegedly robbing the Subway restaurant located at 282 Lexington Avenue of $155 on April 17, 2014.
Murphy stated Swinning was not indicted until February 2015; the case was delayed due to waiting on DNA results.
Illegal conveyance
Eleven indictments for illegal conveyance of weapons or prohibited items onto grounds of specified governmental facility were handed down by the Grand Jury this month. Murphy explained this charge comes from people bringing items such as specified drugs, weapons or cell phones into a correctional institution for various purposes.
“Generally it’s not good things, especially if you’re in there for a drug-related offense the last thing you want to have is drugs in there because it creates all sorts of other havoc,” said Murphy.
There are two prisons in Richland County, the Mansfield Correctional Institute (MANCI) and the Richland Correctional Institution. Murphy said often times a significant other or family member will throw illegal items over the fence to the inmates, or exchange illegal items during visitation. He noted often times people bring illegal items when they’re sentenced from other counties.
“We mentioned two people that assaulted a corrections officer that both were sentenced in Cuyahoga County, they’re sentenced to MANCI and if someone comes and visits them and brings stuff in, they’re going to get caught and charged with a third-degree felony,” said Murphy. “Depending on what their record is they could very well be going to prison themselves.
“If you don’t grasp the concept that it’s probably not a good idea to have this stuff that led you to this and you’re still trying to get the stuff in, it’s probably a problem,” he said.
