Terre Haute Inmate Sentenced to an Additional 32 Months in Federal Prison for Assaulting a Federal Correctional Officer

TERRE HAUTE- Dustin T. Swanda, 36, of Minnesota, was sentenced to 32 additional months in federal prison after pleading guilty to assaulting a federal officer.

According to court documents, in 2009, the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota sentenced Swanda to 151 months in federal prison for his role in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy. On December 31, 2020, Swanda was housed at the Terre Haute Federal Correctional Institution. That day, correctional officers conducted routine security sweeps, including physical checks of the bars and windows in each cell. As part of the check, inmates are asked to leave the cell for a short period of time while the officers searched it. When an officer approached Swanda’s cell, he asked Swanda to step out. Swanda refused to comply. The officer observed Swanda “moving like a zombie,” making unintelligible noises, and staring at the wall. The officer believed Swanda was intoxicated in some manner and called for backup.

When instructed to leave his cell again, Swanda became volatile and continued to resist verbal commands. After multiple orders to voluntarily leave the cell were given, officers attempted to physically guide Swanda out of his cell. At this time, Swanda physically resisted the officers by kicking his legs and punching an officer in the face. One officer was taken to a local hospital for a broken finger.

The Bureau of Prisons investigated the case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge James P. Hanlon. Judge Hanlon ordered that the sentence be served consecutively to the sentence Swanda is already serving, and also ordered that Swanda pay a $500 fine.  

U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney James M. Warden, who prosecuted this case.

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