WILLIAMSPORT –The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that yesterday Alfonso Algeria, age 39, an inmate at the United States Penitentiary Allenwood (USP Allenwood) was indicted by the federal grand jury for possessing a weapon in prison.
According to Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, the indictment charges that on September 4, 2021, while an inmate at USP Allenwood, Algeria possessed an approximately 7 1/2-inch long piece of wood, sharpened to a point and wrapped with tape and cord to form a hand grip and lanyard, concealed within his rectal cavity.
This case was investigated by the federal Bureau of Prisons and the FBI. Assistant United States Attorney George J. Rocktashel is prosecuting the case.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Algeria faces a maximum term of 5 years’ imprisonment on the single count of the indictment, a fine of up to $250,000, and a maximum term of supervised release of three years. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant’s educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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