Federal Prisoner Charged With Attempted Murder

SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Wesley Mark Smith, age 51, an inmate at United States Penitentiary Allenwood (USP Allenwood), Pennsylvania, was indicted on August 21, 2018, by a federal grand jury on attempt to commit murder, assault with a deadly weapon, and assault causing serious bodily injury.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the indictment alleges that Smith was an inmate at USP Allenwood on March 15, 2015, when he assaulted his cellmate and struck him about the head and face with a wheelchair. 

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and officers of the Bureau of Prisons.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd K. Hinkley is prosecuting the case.

Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses are 40 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also 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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