By Ray Van Dusen
Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal
ABERDEEN, Miss. — Two federal inmates’ plan to assault law enforcement officers June 26 led to additional charges for them and injuries for deputies.
Monroe County Sheriff Kevin Crook posted about the incident at the Monroe County Detention Center via the department’s Facebook page.
He stated a weapon was located earlier in the week after threats were made against a female guard, and inmates attempted to incite a riot at the jail while filming a Facetime call on a tablet.
Following the incident, Joshua Miller was charged with three felony assault charges on a deputy sheriff. He is serving a life sentence for murdering his girlfriend and other gang-related charges.
Dillon Heffker, who is serving time for gang-related weapons and drug charges, was charged with one count of felony assault on a deputy sheriff.
After deputies were dispatched to the jail and the first deputy arrived to Miller’s cell to gain control of the situation, he failed to comply and was struck with a less lethal round to his body.
https://www.facebook.com/monroecosheriff/posts/341688438135576
He then began screaming into the tablet, alleging he was shot in the face, according to the Facebook post.
He resisted being handcuffed by a deputy and fought with him and bit him several times. He was treated and released from the emergency room.
Heffker, who was held off by corrections officers, attempted to assault the deputy with a TV.
After more deputies arrived on the scene within minutes, Miller and Heffker were restrained and removed from the cell. Another deputy was bitten during the arrest.
“We are blessed that no one was seriously injured in this incident, but this is exactly why we have to constantly train, use better tactics and be physically fit to do this job. By far, the biggest challenge to being sheriff is the operation of the jail. We have gone to great lengths to provide a pathway for inmates to better themselves while here; however, the ones who have that mentality seem few and far between,” Crook stated in the Facebook post.
“For those who don’t have that desire and especially those who want to constantly bully and threaten others, especially our staff, there will be no privileges whatsoever other than the bare minimum required by state law,” Crook added.
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(c)2022 the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal (Tupelo, Miss.)