From staff reports
PAINT TWP. – A 23-year-old inmate at the Clarion County Jail was ordered last week to stand trial on charges he assaulted and tattooed a fellow inmate.
Kenton L. Pinson, 23, Shippenville, will stand trial on charges of first-degree felony aggravated assault and second-degree misdemeanor counts of simple assault and theft by unlawful taking between 11 p.m. Dec. 21 and 11:30 a.m. Dec. 23, 2015, at the Clarion County Jail in Paint Township.
Charges of first-degree felony intimidation of a witness or victim were added at the start of Pinson’s preliminary hearing before District Judge Timothy P. Schill.
In court documents, Clarion County Detective William H. Peck IV said an inmate at the jail said he was placed in lock down for misconduct and was placed in a cell with Pinson and another inmate.
The victim said he knew Pinson from outside of jail and that he had dated Pinson’s girlfriend while Pinson was in jail in 2015.
Once guards placed the victim in the cell and left the block, Pinson allegedly told him he and the other inmate “are going to do you now, punk.”
Pinson allegedly punched the victim in the jaw and head, and when the victim dropped to his knees and covered his face, Pinson allegedly punched him all over while saying, “This is what you get for sleeping with my girl when I was in jail last time, b****.”
Pinson allegedly tried to take the shoes from the victim’s feet and when the victim stood up, Vinson allegedly began to punch him again.
The victim said he was allegedly knocked out and when he came to, he was lying on a bunk naked except for a necklace.
Pinson demanded the necklace and the victim said it had belonged to his late grandmother. Pinson said he didn’t care and threatened to beat the victim again.
The victim said he gave Pinson the necklace out of fear of being beaten.
The victim said Pinson took his food and forced him to wash Pinson’s clothes.
Pinson allegedly completed a request form stating the victim wanted to stay in the cell with Pinson, signed the victim’s name and gave the form to a corrections officer.
Pinson allegedly told the victim he owned him, and would make him his b**** and would tattoo “K$B” (standing for “K Money’s b****”) on his back. Vinson then allegedly punched the victim and threatened he would pay other inmates to beat him if he told anyone about it.
Pinson allegedly dragged the victim off a bunk and onto the floor and began kicking him, then told the victim to obey his orders.
Pinson then allegedly tattooed the victim with “K$B.” The victim said he let this happen because he was afraid of Pinson.
During Pinson’s Feb. 2 preliminary hearing, the victim said Pinson used a staple wire and ink from a pen to make the tattoo.
Pinson allegedly ordered the victim to cuddle with him and twice forced the victim to lay with him on his bunk with his head on Pinson’s chest.
Pinson allegedly told the victim that if he informed on him he would kill the victim and the victim’s family.
The victim told Peck that Vinson allegedly assaulted him approximately ten times, four of those times aggressively.
The victim testified he did not use an emergency call button in the cell due to his fear of Pinson.
The victim said when guards passed the cell Pinson and the other inmate would stand in front of the cell door, preventing guards from being to see the victim in the back of the cell.
The victim acknowledged he allowed Pinson to put a tattoo of the victim’s daughter’s name of his wrist a few days prior to the incident. The victim said it took about 15 to 20 minutes for Pinson to put the tattoo on the back of his neck.
Following the 20-minute hearing, Schill ordered Pinson to stand trial on the charges.
Past trouble at the jail
In September, 2015, Schill warned Pinson to stay out of trouble in the jail.
At the time, Pinson was sentenced to 60 additional days in jail and fined $464 after pleading guilty to a summary charge of harassment.
That sentence, however, was suspended until a hearing was held concerning a second set of summary charges against the man.
Pinson was charged with harassment at 7:48 p.m. July 22, 2015, in the county jail in Paint Township after he threatened correctional officers with bodily harm and death.
On Sept. 15, 2015, just a few minutes before a hearing on the July 22 incident, Pinson was charged with summary disorderly conduct after he allegedly assaulted another inmate at 5:21 p.m. Sept. 14, 2015, in the jail.
Both sets of charges were filed by Peck.
Pinson pleaded guilty to the July 22, 2015, harassment charge at hearing before Schill.
Schill sentenced Pinson to 60 additional days in jail and fined him $464.
Peck told Schill Pinson has been “a problem” at the jail and asked that the hearing on the Sept. 15, 2015, disorderly conduct charge be delayed until jail officials can report on Pinson’s behavior in the jail.
Schill agreed to delay the second hearing.
“Can you behave for 30 days,” Schill asked Pinson.
“I can try,” replied Pinson.
Schill told Pinson if he did not cause trouble in the jail, the sentence on the July 22, 2015, harassment charges would be changed to credit for time served and the fines will be withdrawn.
Schill warned Pinson, however, if he did cause trouble in the jail, the sentence on the harassment charges will be enforced and he will serve that sentence after his scheduled release date in 2016.
Also, if he was convicted on the disorderly conduct charge any sentence from that case will be added to the time for the harassment charge.
“You’re back there (in jail) for a reason,” Schill told Pinson. “You don’t need to be back there jacking around. I won’t put up with it.”
Following Pinson’s latest charges, Schill said with a state prison sentence possible in the tattoo case, a decision has not yet been made on the last year’s incidents.