12/11/01

An inmate who attacked a corrections officer with a radio during a yard brawl at Snake River Correctional Institution was sentenced Monday to six additional years in prison.

Two corrections officers were injured when several inmates rushed them April 2, 2000, in an exercise yard. Inmate Larry Ristick smashed Officer Darlene Froshiesar in the face with her radio, breaking bones, prosecutors said, while Sgt. Robert Real suffered a broken ankle. A video taken from a tower overlooking the yard shows inmates kicking the fallen officers. It's referred to at the prison as a riot.

The fight began between inmates, with Shawn Devone Carter taking a punch. Investigators thought that fight was a decoy before the larger uprising but couldn't prove it, Malheur County Deputy District Attorney Christian Stringer said.

The entire flare-up lasted 67 seconds. To this day, administrators wonder whether the attack was as random as it appears on film.

"We never verified it was planned," said prison Superintendent Bob Lampert. "We had our suspicions, but we were never able to tie it together as gang activity."

Charges against Carter were dropped. Seven other inmates pleaded guilty:

Ristick, to two counts of third-degree assault. He was sentenced to 72 additional months in prison. He was also ordered to pay $10,000 apiece to each victim.

Pablo Olvera-Valdez, to one count of conspiracy to commit third-degree assault. He was sentenced to 13 months.

David Andrew Collins, to one count of third-degree assault. He was sentenced to 24 months.

Placido Gonzalez Jr., to one count of conspiracy to commit third-degree assault. He was sentenced to 24 months.

Rene Ramos Echeverria, to one count of conspiracy to commit third-degree assault. He was sentenced to 18 months.

Adam Christopher Gonzalez, to one count of third-degree assault. He was sentenced to 14 months.

Angel Lemus Ponce, to third-degree assault. He was sentenced to 24 months.

The sentences varied due to the level of involvement of each of the inmates.

There are 2,768 inmates at the Ontario prison, the state's largest. After the fight, the prison tweaked its yard security, adding cameras and loudspeakers operated by a foot pedal in the tower, instead of a bullhorn that could hamper an officer trying to aim a shotgun.

About 15 officers attended Monday's hearing in Ontario to support their injured colleagues, both of whom still work at the prison.

"The key is aggressive prosecution of assaults, to show the inmate population that we will not tolerate that behavior," Lampert said.