Inmates charged after attacking jailer
Five inmates at the St. Francis County Jail are facing additional charges after allegedly fighting with jailers earlier this week, sending one to the hospital.
According to the SFC Sheriff’s Department, the fight started about 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, after an inmate in the men’s felony pod complained, saying he had not received his evening meal.
SFCSD Criminal Investigator Travis Hill said, “The jailer went to the pod because an inmate, Octavrius Montgomery, was beating on the door. When the jailer returned with the food, he tried to calm him down, but instead he became irate, snatched the food and threw the tray at the jailer.”
Montgomery, 33, of Memphis, is being held on a felony charge of theft by receiving, firearm, and misdemeanor drug charges.
According to Hill, when Montgomery threw the tray, the jailer attempted to use pepper spray to subdue him, but he turned to avoid it and attacked the jailer and another who had followed him into the pod to deal with the situation. The jailers and inmate fell to the ground, fighting, at which time four other inmates allegedly joined the attack.
“While both jailers were trying to get the inmates under control, other inmates came over and began viciously and violently hitting and kicking them,” said Hill.
Two of those who joined in the fight, Taquan Smith, 26, of Fayetteville, and Scott Logan, 24, of Forrest City, are both awaiting bed space in the state prison system, according to Hill.
Smith was sentenced in May to 40 years for the August 2020 murder near Hughes of 17-yearold Zaden Bradley.
This week’s incident was not Smith’s first involving a jailer.
(Continued from Page 1) He was charged in June last year with escape and criminal mischief after he and another inmate allegedly locked a jailer inside a cell at the old jail as the jailer was conducting a head count of inmates. They reportedly fled the cell but were unable to leave the jail.
Logan was sentenced last month to 20 years in state prison after his probations were revoked. Court records show Logan has been in trouble since he was a teenager.
Montgomery, Smith and Logan now face additional felony charges of seconddegree battery, inciting a riot and engaging in violent criminal group activity.
The other two involved, Tevvion Jones, 26, and Marvin Taylor, 30, are facing additional charges of inciting a riot, engaging in violent criminal group activity and accomplice to second-degree battery. Both were currently being held on felony drug charges.
According to Hill, the jailer suffered minor injuries and was treated and released at the local hospital.
When the fight broke out, Hill said sheriff’s deputies and officers with the Forrest City Police Department responded to the jail to help get the situation under control. “We were able to get all of the inmates in that pod locked down in their cells,” he said.
“Fights and other types of disturbances in the detention center will not be tolerated,” said Hill. “Those involved will be punished to the fullest extent of the law.”