Feds Charge Inmates Mattox, Shinn in Brutal Prison Assault

Two federal inmates launched a savage attack inside USP Canaan last year, beating a fellow prisoner so badly he suffered serious bodily injury — now, they’re facing federal charges. Jeffrey Lynn Mattox, 32, and Clayton John Shinn, 26, both incarcerated at the high-security penitentiary in Waymart, Pennsylvania, were indicted on January 17, 2017, by a federal grand jury on charges of assault.

The alleged assault occurred on October 4, 2016, within the prison’s tightly controlled walls. According to the indictment filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Mattox and Shinn repeatedly struck, punched, and kicked the victim in an unprovoked and coordinated attack. The victim was left with injuries severe enough to meet the federal definition of serious bodily harm — a fact prosecutors are emphasizing in the case.

U.S. Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, who oversees prosecutions in the region, confirmed the charges and stressed that violence behind bars will not go unchecked. “Assault is a crime — whether it happens on the street or inside a federal prison,” Brandler said. “No one loses their right to safety, even if they’re serving time.”

The investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Prisons, agencies that have ramped up scrutiny of inmate-on-inmate violence in recent years. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Olshefski, a veteran in handling violent crime cases within the federal system.

If convicted, Mattox and Shinn each face up to 10 years in federal prison, in addition to a potential fine and a term of supervised release. While the statutory maximum is 10 years, federal sentencing guidelines require judges to weigh the nature of the offense, the defendants’ criminal histories, and the need for punishment and public protection — meaning actual sentences could vary significantly.

A federal indictment is not a conviction. Both Jeffrey Lynn Mattox and Clayton John Shinn are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The case now moves toward arraignment and trial, as federal authorities send a clear message: even behind bars, violent acts carry a steep price.