Inmate Charged After Jail Assault in Oneida County

A 43-year-old inmate at the Oneida County Correctional Facility is facing a new felony charge after investigators say he assaulted another inmate inside the jail.

According to Oneida County Sheriff Robert Maciol, the incident happened April 10 in a recreation room within one of the housing units. Officials say the victim, also an inmate, suffered a facial injury during the altercation and had to be taken to an outside medical facility for treatment. The extent of the injury has not been detailed, but authorities say it was serious enough to warrant further investigation.

The case didn’t surface immediately. Road Patrol Deputies were notified four days later on April 14, and that’s when the investigation got underway. Because of the severity of the injuries, the case was eventually handed off to the Sheriff’s Criminal Investigation Unit.

After reviewing the findings, investigators charged 43-year-old Jason E. Johnston with Assault in the Second Degree, a Class D felony. He was brought to the Kurt B. Wyman Law Enforcement Building on April 28 for processing before being arraigned in CAP Court later that night. Johnston was sent back to the correctional facility without bail.

Maciol said Johnston was already being held without bail on a burglary charge out of Oneida County Court. He also has a pending criminal mischief case in Rome City Court.

He is expected to answer the new assault charge in Whitestown Town Court at a later date. The investigation remains open, and authorities have not said if any additional action is expected.

[AUTHOR'S NOTE: This post is for informational purposes and is based largely on information received from Oneida County Sheriff's Office. Regardless of any statements or photographs regarding potential evidence presented or accusations alleged, the reader is reminded that all suspects and/or arrested persons are innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. At the time of this posting no additional information is available.]