Former inmate testifies on assault

Two of six inmates charged in incident on trial this week

HOLLIDAYSBURG -- A former inmate at the Blair County Prison told a jury Monday that he endured extreme pain when fellow inmates tried last year to forcibly remove tobacco from his rectum.

On a pain scale of 1 to 10, the former inmate said he would probably rank it as nine.

"It almost felt like he was trying to put in his whole hand," the former inmate, a 33-year-old Altoona man, told the jurors.

Two of six inmates charged in the incident, Charles M. Frank, 44, and Maurice D. Wakefield II, 24, are on trial this week in Blair County court, accused of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, aggravated assault, aggravated indecent assault, assault by prisoner and related offenses.

Hollidaysburg Borough police filed the criminal charges after investigating attacks on two inmates in the county facility on March 16, 2017, including the inmate who had plastic-wrapped tobacco in his rectum.

"I put it there to take it with me," the former inmate explained Monday as he spoke of his pending transfer to E-block. He said he bought the loose tobacco while living in another area of the prison. He also said he had some rolled cigarettes among his belongings upon arriving on E-block.

District Attorney Richard Consiglio and Assistant District Attorney Amanda Jacobson played a prison videotape for the jury, showing the inmate with tobacco in his rectum being summoned to a cell by inmate Dalaun Carroll. The video also showed Frank and Wakefield, along with three other inmates -- Allen Grager, Zachary Moore and Curtis Ramsey -- heading into the same cell before Carroll leaves. There is no video of what happened inside the cell.

"They were getting pretty aggressive," the former inmate testified" … and I said just give me time, 'I'll get it out.'"

When that didn't happen fast enough, the former inmate said he was pulled off the toilet and turned around, then felt fingers digging inside his rectum. Subsequently, he said he felt a smaller, harder object inside his rectum and later saw a pair of toothbrushes on the floor.

"I think they were trying to knock me out," he said.

When asked why he remained quiet during the assault, he said: "I was told to keep my mouth shut or it would be worse."

Defense Attorney Robert Donaldson, who represents Frank, questioned the former inmate about his position and inability to see who was doing what to him.

Frank was the one who put on rubber gloves, the former inmate replied.

Defense Attorney Scott N. Pletcher, representing Wakefield, challenged the former inmate's version and suggested that he had been cooperative, saying, "Just be gentle."

"No," the former inmate said.

After the attempt to retrieve the tobacco failed, the former inmate said the other inmates punched him and caused him to fall to the floor where was kicked in the head, causing the outer portion of his ear to split and bleed.

He said Wakefield threw him a towel and told him to clean himself up. Video showed the former inmate wearing a towel over his head while walking gingerly back to his own cell. There, he said he was later able to push out the tobacco.

The former inmate said his cellmate, the day after the attack, alerted the prison's medical staff about his condition and injuries.

"You weren't even going to call attention to this?" Consiglio asked the former inmate.

"That's correct," he said. "I was very embarrassed."

Retired prison Lt. Jeffrey Rickabaugh said that the former inmate initially said he fell, then later revealed more about what happened.

Pletcher asked Rickabaugh if he found blood in the cell or the toothbrushes.

"It was a day later, sir," Rickabaugh said. "There is no evidence to collect. It was cleaned up."

Mirror Staff Writer Kay Stephens is at 946-7456.