MANSFIELD — Three law enforcement entities were lauded Monday for their respective roles in thwarting a potential gun incident at Richland County Correctional Institution last September.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Richland County Prosecutors office and the Richland Correctional Institution senior investigators were acknowledged for identifying and detaining a suspect after he threw contraband, which included a gun, over the walls of Richland County Correctional Institution. They were also honored for derailing what could have been a significant security threat.
RiCI warden Maggie Bradshaw commended Sergeant Michael Roth, troopers Bryan Butler, Matthew Stoffer, Aaron Doerfler and Charles Jackson for their efforts in the probe. RiCI Investigator Brett Perdue was commended for his work and commitment during his investigation of the incident, and prosecutors Bambi Couch-Page and Daniel Beniot for their efforts in convicting Jawaun Scruggs in connection with the incident.
Rossi Azomun, public information officer for the Ohio Department of Corrections, said the collaboration in preventing a weapon from reaching the hands of an inmate was appreciated.
“Ensuring the safety of the community’s employees and the inmates is (our) highest priority. Correctional staff embraces that responsibility every day and our staff’s response to the actions of Jawaun Scuggs on Sept. 20 is a reflection of that,” Azomun stated during the cremony. “In understanding of what may have happened, our warden wanted to acknowledge those attendants today. The actions of Jawaun Scruggs could have maliciously hindered the safety of both inmates and staff at RiCi.
“The swift prosecution of this offender has contributed to the safety of the facility.”
Scruggs, now an inmate at Southern Ohio Correctional Facility in Lucasville, was noticed lurking in bean fields near the Richland Correctional Institution. Once Scruggs saw a staff member, he retreated towards Ohio Route 545.
The search for Scruggs continued throughout the morning. Law enforcement later revealed the contraband packages he threw over the institution’s fence contained a .22 semi-automatic pistol, ammunition, eight cellphones and two-pounds of tobacco.
With help of a joint RiCI and Ohio State Highway Patrol criminal investigation, two inmates, Keith Brown, 28, and Justin Elliot Guyton, 33, were identified and charged with misconduct violations at the corrections institution — upping the security levels to the maximum risk level (level 5). The inmates were transferred to the Ohio State Penitentiary in Youngstown.
Later, Keith M. Brown was transferred to OSP. Couch-Page said his involvement was likely discovered one of two ways: suspects were interviewed at RiCI and they may have lead the investigators to Brown, or Brown gave himself away during a jail call. Couch-Page said RiCI can listen to telephone conversations, and may have heard evidence that lead to Brown’s felony charge of misconduct violations.
Scruggs, arrested on charges of illegal conveyance to detention facility, was sent to Richland County Jail. The Richland County Prosecutor’s office, OSHP and RiCI Investigators prosecuted Scruggs of the illegal conveyance charge. He was found guilty and earned a three-year prison sentence. Scruggs was admitted on Jan. 22 to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.
