By Tom Roeder
The Gazette
COLORADO SPRINGS — A federal inmate in Florence has been convicted of using letters to threaten prison guards and their families, the U.S. Attorney’s office in Denver said Monday.
A jury found 59-year-old Theron Maxton guilty on four counts of threatening a federal officer, Justice Department spokesman Jeffrey Dorschner said in a news release.
Maxton was an inmate at the Florence Correctional Complex when he made the threats, according to Dorschner. Maxton will be sentenced May 1. Each count carries a maximum of 10 years behind bars.
Best known for its “SuperMax” facility used to house the nation’s most dangerous prisoners, the federal Florence Correction Complex also houses medium- and high-security inmates including Maxton.
Described in an appellate court’s ruling as a “career criminal,” Maxton’s past convictions include mailed threats against a federal magistrate, court records show. He’s also faced convictions for assault, aggravated assault, larceny, attempted robbery and disorderly conduct, court records show.
Before the most recent verdict, Maxton was set for release in 2033.
Evidence in the latest case include a from Maxton letter to a former cellmate, Dorschner wrote.
“In that letter, Mr. Maxton attempted to persuade the former inmate to kill the prison staff members and their families,” Dorschner said. “In December of 2012, Maxton also said directly to an FBI special agent that if given the opportunity he would try to kill prison staff members.”
Maxton was in custody at a federal facility outside Denver on Monday.