Federal Inmate Convicted At Trial For Possessing A Weapon In Prison

WILLIAMSPORT—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on December 16, 2021, Hugo Reynosa, age 26, was convicted of possessing a weapon in federal prison after a bench trial before United States District Court Chief Judge Matthew W. Brann.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the evidence presented at trial showed that on May 12, 2020, officers at the United States Penitentiary in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, initiated a mass search of inmate cells in Hugo Reynosa’s housing block.  Officers instructed the inmates to exit their cells without carrying any property.  An officer spotted Reynosa exit his cell and throw a bag into a garbage can on the housing range.  The officer immediately retrieved and searched the bag, which contained a 6.25-inch piece of metal with a crude handle and sharp point, commonly referred to as a “shank.”

Chief Judge Brann rendered a verdict of guilty on the sole count of the indictment, finding Hugo Reynosa guilty of possessing contraband in prison.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew O. Inman and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alisan V. Martin are prosecuting the case.

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is five years’ imprisonment, a three-year term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a $250,000 fine.  Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances, and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public, and provide for the defendant’s educational, vocational, and medical needs.  For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.

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