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A Warren man who is being held in the Warren County Prison while awaiting trial faces a second charge of attempting to make weapons while in the jail.
Richard L. Sweet, 53, was charged twice in July, once in regard to allegedly trying to make a weapon and then in an alleged assault of another prisoner. 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.
On Aug. 3, Sweet was charged with misdemeanor weapons or implements for escape after he was allegedly found with a “shank” that he had hidden in the booking area of the prison. Sweet allegedly told prison staff where to find the weapon and also other razor blades in Sweet’s cell that had been removed from several razors. Prison staff found a “spork” that was split in the middle with a razor blade placed in the split, with the blades secured to the “spork” with mattress thread.
“Prison staff was able to look at security camera footage and find the defendant hiding the improvised weapon, and also confirmed he had removed several razor blades from razors and then replaced the blades with small pieces of tin foil in order not to be caught.”
It’s the second time Sweet has allegedly been caught with contraband material that could be used as a weapon. 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 also 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. 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.