Tony Cleveland enters guilty plea for having a weapon as an inmate

MCDOWELL COUNTY , WV (LOOTPRESS) – Tony Lashon Cleveland Jr., aged 26 and currently incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) McDowell , entered a guilty plea for the possession of a weapon by an inmate at a federal prison.

As per court records and testimonies during the court proceedings, on or around September 12, 2023, a staff member at FCI McDowell conducted a search on Cleveland and discovered a homemade weapon, commonly referred to as a “shank,” hidden in one of his socks.

The shank, measuring approximately five inches in length, had a sharp point at one end and melted plastic at the other end to serve as a handle. Cleveland confessed to having the shank in his possession and acknowledged that it was created and intended for use as a weapon.

Cleveland is set to receive sentencing on November 12, 2024, and could potentially face up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000.

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Will Thompson, who praised the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

The hearing was overseen by Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber, while Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is handling the prosecution of the case.