Six convicts at the downtown St. Louis jail are now facing charges in connection with the kidnapping of a 73-year-old jail officer. It took the police SWAT team more than two hours to free the guard. He was then taken to a hospital for minor injuries.
Five of the inmates are charged with first-degree kidnapping:
- Eric Williams, 20;
- Anthony Newberry, 29;
- Paul Mondaine, 29;
- Earnest Lyons, 21;
- And Cleveland Washington Jr., 21.
What “happened”
Eventually, the charging documents released by the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office offered awareness of how the security guard was held captive around 6 a.m. on August 22
Anthony Newberry and Eric Williams were with the security guard early in the morning helping serve breakfast trays to the other jail members, the charging document stated.
When Eric Williams intensely began to punch the security, knocking him down to the floor. The document said Anthony Newberry joined in the attack and the men pulled the guard to a shower area.
Then Newberry reportedly took the guard’s cell keys and started unlocking “all the cells in the pod,” which led to plenty of prisoners being on the loose.
This is when Lyons and Mondaine moved the guard to a table inside the pod. Documents stated that security was handcuffed and had his legs tight up. As well as Anthony and Richard smashed televisions, and inmates used the remaining objects such as mop handles and brooms, to make weapons.
The Guard stated that Mondaine grabbed one of the handmade weapons and put it near the guard while threatening to kill him if anybody got inside the pod.
The security guard was freed shortly after 8 a.m. by SWAT officers.
Charging Documents
Two inmates suffered minor injuries inflicted by other inmates during the hostage situation, according to Public Safety Director Chris Coyle.
The detainees do not currently have attorneys listed. They are all being held without bond. According to Missouri’s online court records
Jail Time
Additionally, being guilty of 1st-degree kidnapping leads a person to about 5-20 years in jail depending on how aggravated the abduction was.
If the property damage was less than $300.00 the person may get up to one year in jail and a $2,500.00 fine. In between $10,000-100,000 of damage, the person may get two to five years in prison and up to $25,000 in criminal fines.
Therefore a class 4 felony conviction draws a prison sentence of one to three years. However, on rare occasions, the unauthorized use of a weapon can be prosecuted as a Class X felony, the highest level of a criminal accusation. A Class X felony carries a jail penalty of six to 30 years.
Williams is charged with first-degree kidnapping, assault, and unlawful use of a weapon. Newberry, charges are first-degree kidnapping, assault, unlawful use of a weapon, and damaging the jail properties. Mondaine is facing first-degree kidnapping and unlawful use of a weapon. Lyons is charged with first-degree kidnapping. Cleveland Washington Jr. is facing first-degree kidnapping, and Bolden is guilty of damaging jail properties.
Written by Angelika Cano
Sources:
ABC News: Six St. Louis inmates face charges stemming from the abduction of a jail guard
News Net: Six Inmates Face Charges Stemming From Abduction of St. Louis Jail Guard
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