Federal Inmate Pleads Guilty To Assault With A Dangerous Weapon

Ocala, Florida – German De Jesus Ventura (40, Sumter County) has pleaded guilty to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to inflict bodily harm. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Ventura is currently serving a federal sentence for a sex trafficking conviction in the District of Maryland.

According to court documents, Ventura was an inmate at the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex in Florida, when in August 2017, he repeatedly struck another inmate in the back of the head with a homemade weapon consisting of a solid metal plate attached to a lanyard. The victim suffered a large head wound, two depressed skull fractures, and significant blood loss. A correctional officer who witnessed the assault quickly apprehended Ventura as he attempted to discard the weapon and run away from the incident scene.           

This case was investigated by the FBI – Ocala Resident Agency and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton.