A federal inmate already serving time for illegal firearm possession has been handed an additional eight years behind bars after repeatedly stabbing a fellow prisoner in the neck and arm with a homemade shank. Timothy Whittington, Jr., 37, of Kansas, committed the attack inside the Federal Correctional Complex in Ocala, Florida, on June 22, 2017, during a chaotic scene in the prison cafeteria.
U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. ordered the sentence to run consecutively to Whittington’s existing term, meaning he’ll serve the full eight years on top of his current sentence. Whittington pleaded guilty on November 16, 2017, to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to cause bodily harm—a charge that carries severe penalties even within the grim confines of federal prison.
Court documents detail the brutal nature of the assault: Whittington approached the victim in the crowded dining hall and launched a sudden, unprovoked attack, driving the sharpened metal shank into the inmate’s arm and neck multiple times. The victim was rushed to medical care, surviving the assault but left with lasting physical and psychological scars.
The attack highlighted ongoing issues of contraband weapon circulation and inmate safety in federal facilities. “The rule of law does not stop at the prison walls,” said Special Agent in Charge Charles P. Spencer of the FBI. “Inmates in federal prisons have the right to pay their debts to society without being subject to violent crimes while incarcerated, and the FBI will continue to investigate these incidents fully.”
The FBI led the investigation into the stabbing, working with correctional authorities to gather evidence and secure a conviction. Despite the closed environment, investigators confirmed the shank was crafted inside the facility, underscoring persistent security challenges in federal detention centers.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton, who emphasized that violence behind bars won’t be tolerated. Whittington now faces over a decade more in federal custody, a consequence of choosing violence while already serving time for a prior felony offense.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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