16 inmates charged with murder in deadly Delaware prison uprising

SMYRNA, De. (WTXF) - Authorities in Delaware have announced indictments against 18 people in connection with the correctional facility hostage situation that left a correctional officer dead back in February.

16 inmates have been charged with first-degree murder and other related charges in the incident that began back on February 1, 2017.

During the incident, inmates took four correctional workers hostage at James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna, setting off a nearly 20-hour standoff during which correctional officer Lt. Steven Floyd was killed.

The siege ended after two other guards were released, three others escaped and tactical teams broke through and rescued a female counselor.

All of those facing charges are currently incarcerated in Delaware Correction facilities and have been since the incident came to an end on February 2.

REPORT: Prison security concerns unheeded before deadly riot

Two other inmates are facing other charges including kidnapping and conspiracy in connection with the riot.

According to a report released by independent investigators back in September, Delaware prison administrators dismissed warnings of trouble brewing at the maximum-security prison in the days leading up to the deadly inmate uprising and hostage-taking.

The dismissal of the security warnings at James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna was indicative of an overcrowded, understaffed facility plagued by mismanagement, a lack of communication, a culture of negativity, and adversarial relationships among prison staff, administrators, and inmates, according to the independent review ordered by Gov. John Carney.

The names of the defendants facing murder charges can be found below:

1. Jarreau Ayers, age 36 – currently serving a life sentence for Murder 1st Degree and other charges

2. Abednego Baynes, age 25 – currently serving 18 years for Murder 2nd Degree

3. Kevin Berry, age 27 – currently serving 14 years for three counts of Robbery 1st Degree and other charges

4. John Bramble, age 28 – currently serving 40 years for Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, Assault Second Degree, Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited, Possession of Ammunition by a Person Prohibited, and Home invasion

5. Abdul-Haqq El-Qadeer, aka Louis Sierra, age 31 – currently serving a life sentence for Murder 1st Degree

6. Deric Forney, age 28 – currently serving 11 years for Possession of a Firearm During Commission of a Felony, Possession of a Firearm By a Person Prohibited and drug charges

7. Kelly Gibbs, age 29 – currently serving 24 years 9-month sentence for Murder 2nd Degree

8. Robert Hernandez, age 36 – an inmate from New Mexico serving a 16-year sentence for Murder 2nd Degree in that state

9. Janiis Mathis, age 25 – currently serving 15 years for Assault 2nd Degree and other charges

10. Lawrence Michaels, age 31 – currently serving 19 years for Kidnapping 1st Degree, Attempted Robbery 1st Degree, Possession of a Firearm during Commission of a Felony and other charges

11. Obadiah Miller, age 25 – currently serving 10 years for Manslaughter and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony

12. Jonatan Rodriguez, age 25 – currently serving 40 years for Manslaughter and other charges

13. Alejandro Rodriguez-Ortiz, age 27 - currently serving 40 years for Manslaughter and other charges

14. Roman Shankaras, age 30 – currently serving 7 years for Riot and two counts of Robbery 1st

15. Corey Smith, age 32 – currently serving 14 years for a Violation of Probation for Possession of a Deadly Weapon by a Person Prohibited, Violation of Probation for Carrying a Concealed Deadly Weapon, Attempted Robbery First Degree, Assault Second Degree, Promoting Prison Contraband

16. Dwayne Staats, age 35 – currently serving a life sentence for Murder 1st Degree

The names of the two other individuals facing related charges can be found below:

1. Pedro Chairez, age 42 - an inmate from Arizona serving a 43-year sentence for Murder 2nd and other charges committed in that state

2. Royal Downs, age 52 – an inmate from Maryland serving a life sentence for Murder 1st Degree and other charges committed in that state