Sharion Motley-Lipscomb, a 29-year-old from Cleveland, Ohio, was indicted on March 10 by a federal grand jury for allegedly possessing contraband while incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institute Schuylkill, according to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
The case is significant as it highlights ongoing efforts by federal authorities to address safety and security concerns within correctional facilities.
United States Attorney Brian D. Miller said that Motley-Lipscomb was accused of having a weapon—a four-inch piece of plexi-glass sharpened to a point with a cloth handle—on January 17, 2016, in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. The Bureau of Prisons and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the incident. Assistant United States Attorney James M. Buchanan is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Motley-Lipscomb faces a maximum penalty under federal law of five years in prison, supervised release after imprisonment, and a fine. Sentencing would be determined by a judge who will consider federal sentencing statutes and guidelines.
Officials emphasized that indictments are only allegations and that all individuals charged are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
