Inmate pleads guilty to possessing a weapon at FCI McDowell

MCDOWELL COUNTY, WV (WVNS) — An inmate pleaded guilty to possessing a weapon at FCI McDowell.

According to a press release, 24-year-old Savion Garcia, an inmate at Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) McDowell, pleaded guilty on Wednesday, September 25, 2024 to possession of a weapon by an inmate at a federal prison.

The press release stated that according to court documents, a staff member at FCI McDowell held a search of Garcia’s cell on October 19, 2023 and found two handcrafted weapons commonly known as “shanks” on his person.

One of the shanks was reportedly a six-inch-long flat metal bar with a cloth wrapped around one end as a handle. The second shank was a piece of metal around six and three-fourth inches long, with one end sharpened to a point, and a cloth wrapped around the other end as a handle.

Garcia revealed that the shanks were in his possession, and they they were made to be used as weapons.

Garcia’s sentencing is scheduled for January 13, 2025, and he faces up to five years in prison, three years of parole, and a $250,000 fine.

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Will Thompson, who thanked the Federal Bureau of Prisons for their work on the investigation.

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