Six Green Hill School inmates are being charged as adults in Lewis County Superior Court for allegedly participating in a “standoff” with facility staff in August.
The eight inmates — identified as Angel R. Lopez-Ledezma, 18; Angel Lara-Sedano, 18; Kent A. Hewitt, 20; Nathan Pings, 18; Keegan R. Roach, 18; and Jaime Lopez-Merino, 20 — each face one count of participating in a prison riot, which is a class B felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
The charges were filed Oct. 5 with preliminary hearings scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 10. All co-defendants were still in custody at Green Hill as of Tuesday. Arraignment hearings are scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 19.
The “standoff” itself occurred on Aug. 8 when the co-defendants allegedly “refused to go to their rooms as directed,” according to court documents.
“After a significant amount of time attempting to negotiate an end to the standoff, staff entered the wing” and “attempted to gain control of the situation,” according to court documents. At that point, Green Hill staff allege, “multiple residents began to resist.”
One staff member reported he “was struck in the face with a closed fist” and was “bitten by a resident he could not identify at the time” while he was “attempting to control another resident,” according to court documents. Another staff member and Hewitt reportedly landed on the injured staff member during the struggle.
“As the group wrestled for control, Hewitt was eventually restrained and put back into his room,” according to court documents.
Roach allegedly “refused directives” and “began attempting to kick staff” who restrained him, according to court documents. Ultimately, Green Hill reported “it took four staff to carry Roach into his room.”
The other co-defendants were allegedly non-compliant up to a point but complied with staff commands once staff entered the wing, according to court documents.
An additional inmate who was reportedly involved in the altercation has been identified but had not been charged in Lewis County Superior Court as of Tuesday afternoon.
The case marks the fourth separate Green Hill prison riot that has been charged in Lewis County Superior Court this year.
A separate group of four inmates allegedly beat up another inmate at the facility while medications were being dispensed on April 26; another group of four inmates allegedly beat up another inmate in a gang-related attack inside the facility on May 12; and another group of four inmates allegedly attacked two other inmates and a staff member at the facility on either June 14 or Aug. 2.
Roach and Hewitt were allegedly involved in one of the previous incidents.
At least two incidents have been tied to gang activity within the facility, according to previous Chronicle reporting.
