Florence Penitentiary Inmate Sentenced To More Than 15 Years Additional Prison Time For Stabbing Fellow Inmate And Assaulting U.S. Marshal Service Contract Employee

 DENVER – United States Attorney Jason R. Dunn today announced that Richard Angel Gonzales, age 46, was sentenced to serve 185 months (over 15 years) in federal prison consecutive to prior sentences, for two in-custody assaults -- the first of a fellow inmate at the U.S. Penitentiary in Florence, and the second of a contract security officer at the federal courthouse in Denver.  The Denver Division of the FBI joined in this announcement. 

According to court records, including the stipulated facts from both cases, on March 6, 2018, at the United States Penitentiary in Florence, Colorado, Gonzales was working in the education building for his work assignment as an orderly.  Inmate Louis Williams arrived at the education building a short time later.  While Williams was sitting at a desk, Gonzales approached Williams from behind and began stabbing him with a homemade weapon.  Within a few seconds, staff intervened and ordered Gonzales to stop.  Because Gonzales continued the assault, staff deployed two bursts of the pepper spray at him. He stopped stabbing Williams after the second burst. Williams was treated for a punctured lung and multiple stab wounds, as well as lacerations. 

Then on November 8, 2018, when Gonzales was at the Alfred A. Arraj United States Federal Courthouse in Denver, Gonzales intentionally head-butted a U.S. Marshal contract employee in the face, resulting in injury.

“We will not tolerate violence from those in the federal prison system or violence against our colleagues in the Marshal Service,” said U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn.  “Mr. Gonzales will now have an additional 15 years in prison to realize how serious the justice system takes such crimes.”

“We are grateful to the U.S. Penitentiary in Florence, U.S. Marshal’s Service, and United States Attorney's Office for their assistance in this investigation.  Let this serve as a reminder that we will aggressively investigate violent crime no matter where it occurs,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Michael Schneider.

The sentences were pronounced by U.S. District Court Judge Raymond P. Moore today, August 20, 2020.  He was charged by indictment for the prison assault on October 24, 2018, and was charged with the second assault on January 3, 2019.  He pled guilty to both assaults on September 27, 2019.  Both cases were investigated by the Denver Division of the FBI.  The defendant is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Valeria Spencer and Aaron Teitlbaum.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado.  Related court documents can be found on PACER by searching for Case Numbers 18-cr-500 and 19-cr-0027.