An inmate at the Oneida County Correctional Facility was arrested following an altercation with a corrections officer, according to Oneida County Sheriff Robert Maciol on June 4.
On May 16, Road Patrol Deputies responded to the correctional facility for a reported assault. It was reported that a corrections officer had been assaulted after an altercation with an inmate inside one of the jail’s housing units. According to authorities, Jason Johnston, age 43, of Rome, was ordered by a corrections officer to secure himself in his cell due to disorderly behavior and refused. Johnston then struck the corrections officer with a closed fist and a struggle followed.
The report states that the corrections officer gained control of Johnston and awaited additional officers’ response. Johnston was placed in mechanical restraints and escorted to another housing unit. The injured corrections officer was taken to Wynn Hospital for treatment of minor injuries, released later that night, and has since returned to work.
The case was turned over to the Criminal Investigation Unit for further investigation. On June 2, Johnston was arrested and charged with one count of Attempted Assault in the Second Degree, classified as a Class E Felony. Authorities said Johnston is currently being held on other charges; he had previously been arrested on April 28 by members of the Criminal Investigation Unit for Assault in the Second Degree (Class D Felony) stemming from an earlier altercation with another inmate at the same facility.
Johnston remains in custody awaiting arraignment in CAP Court at a later date.
