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A Wattsburg man faces additional charges after a second incident in the Warren County Jail in roughly two weeks.
Richard L. Sweet, 53, was charged Friday with misdemeanor inmate procure etc. self with weapon, misdemeanor institutional vandalism of educational facility and criminal mischief – damaging property after an alleged July 21 incident in the Warren County Prison. A preliminary hearing will be held Wednesday in front of Magisterial District Court Judge Raymond Zydonik.
According to the Affidavit of Probable Cause, Warren police officers received a report from prison staff that contraband material had allegedly been found on an inmate on July 20 when Sweet allegedly had been found with a small metal bracket/bar after being searched and body scanned. The affidavit states the bar was found in Sweet's pant legs and could allegedly be seen in a body scan. The bracket was then recovered after a strip search.
"Upon further investigation tool markings were found in the defendant's cell which matches the size of the bracket and after examination of the bracket it was found that it had been sharpened on one side to make a tool or weapon," the affidavit states. "Also found in the defendant's cell's light fixture was a small metal screw that had also been removed from a wall holding the metal bracket/bar there."
Sweet was charged July 11 with first-degree aggravated assault - attempts to cause serious bodily injury or causes injury with extreme indifference, second-degree assault by prisoner on another, misdemeanor recklessly endangering another person and misdemeanor simple assault after an incident July 7 in the jail.
A preliminary hearing in that case had already been scheduled for Wednesday in front of Judge Zydonik. Sweet has been in the county prison since December after Zydonik set bail at $250,000 after the first of two sets of charges alleging rape of a child were filed.
According to the Affidavit of Probable Cause filed after the July 7 jail incident, Warren police officers responded to a reported prisoner-on-prisoner assault. Prison staff said Sweet allegedly threw boiling water on another inmate at the prison. Security footage showed the inmate eating breakfast when Sweet allegedly grabbed a cup and filled it with boiling water used for instant coffee or cooking noodles. Sweet and the other inmate then were seen on video exchanging words when Sweet allegedly intentionally threw the boiling water on the other inmate's face and upper chest area.
"Prison staff quickly intervened and took the victim to the nurse to be treated," the affidavit states. "Photographs of the victim show burns, blistering and redness on the victim's chest and face."
Sweet was originally charged in with two counts of first-degree rape of a child, two counts of first-degree statutory sexual assault: 11 years older, two counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child; two counts of first-degree felony unlawful contact with a minor; two counts of third-degree felony indecent assault of a person less than 13 years of age; and two counts of third-degree corruption of minors - defendant age 18 or above earlier this month for incidents that allegedly began in December 2015.
An additional seven charges were filed in January by the State Police at Warren: first-degree felony rape of a child, first-degree felony statutory sexual assault - 11 years older, first-degree felony involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, two counts of first-degree felony unlawful contact with a minor - sexual offenses, third-degree felony indecent assault of a person less than 13 years of age and third-degree felony corruption of minors - defendant age 18 or above.