U.S. Penitentiary Inmate Convicted of Assaulting Another Prison Inmate

April 14, 2010 - POLLOCK, LA—Demetrius D. McCullough, age 34, an inmate at U.S. Penitentiary in Pollock, Louisiana, was convicted by a federal jury today of the brutal assault of another prison inmate and for possession of a metal shank, Acting United States Attorney William J. Flanagan announced.

McCullough was charged by a federal grand jury on October 28, 2009, in a two-count indictment charging him with assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm and possession of prison contraband at the United States Penitentiary in Pollock, Louisiana. The February 2009 attack was recorded on the prison’s video camera system. McCullough used a homemade metal shank to attack another prison inmate, causing multiple stab wounds to his chest and back.

McCullough faces a statutory maximum of an additional 15 years in prison when he is sentenced on August 9, 2010.

Sentencing in federal court is determined by the discretion of federal judges and the governing statute. Parole has been abolished in the federal system.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Alexandria Resident Agency, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Cristina Walker and Alexander C. Van Hook.