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May 21, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Five Inmates at USP Hazelton Sentenced

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA — Five inmates from United States Penitentiary Hazelton entered guilty pleas and were sentenced on May 7 and May 11, 2009, in United States District Court in Clarksburg by Judge Irene M. Keeley.

United States Attorney Sharon L. Potter announced that:

JERRY LUNA, age 42, and JOHN CHANVONGSA, age 23, each entered a plea of guilty to one count of an Indictment charging them with aiding and abetting an assault with a dangerous weapon at USP Hazelton on December 16, 2008. LUNA and CHANVONGSA were each sentenced to 24 months imprisonment.

MARK MILLER, age 43, entered a plea of guilty to one count of an Indictment charging him with unlawfully possessing a shank at USP Hazelton on November 2, 2008. MILLER was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment.

MARK SMITH, age 25, entered a plea of guilty to one count of an Indictment charging him with aiding and abetting the assault of two inmates by acting as a look-out while other inmates assaulted two inmates in a cell at USP Hazelton on September 14, 2008. SMITH was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment.

DEANGELO THOMAS, age 21, entered a plea of guilty to one count of an Indictment charging him with assaulting a Corrections Officer at USP Hazelton with his fist on August 11, 2008. THOMAS was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment.

The cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David E. Godwin. The cases were investigated by the Special Investigative Services at USP Hazelton and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.