The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania has announced that Tommy Clark, a 22-year-old inmate at the Federal Correction Institution Schuylkill in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, faces charges for possessing contraband. A federal grand jury indicted Clark on March 4, 2025.
Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus stated that the indictment alleges Clark had an inmate-manufactured weapon on or about October 16, 2024. The weapon is described as a six-and-one-half inch piece of metal sharpened to a point with a lanyard, known as a "shank."
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Federal Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Service. Assistant United States Attorney Tatum R. Wilson is handling the prosecution.
If found guilty, Clark could face a maximum penalty under federal law of five years in prison, followed by supervised release and a fine. Sentencing will be determined by a judge after considering federal sentencing statutes and guidelines.
It is important to note that indictments are merely allegations, and all charged individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.