Messner
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KINGSTON TWP. — Three inmates at the State Correctional Institution at Dallas in Jackson Township are facing charges they were carrying shanks uncovered during random searches, according to court records filed Wednesday.
One of the charged inmates was also found to be hiding gambling tickets and synthetic marijuana inside his cell.
According to criminal complaints filed by state police with District Judge Brian James Tupper:
Richard Cardona, 26, was returning from the inmate yard when he was randomly searched on Aug. 7. Cardona walked through a metal detector that activated and a pat down search revealed a plastic knife with a razor blade taped to one end.
Cardona is serving seven-months to two years in prison on a forgery conviction in Carbon County. He remains housed at SCI Dallas.
Christopher Messner, 23, was randomly searched as he entered the inmate yard on Sept. 1. A correctional officer uncovered a piece of plastic eight inches in length sharpened to a point with a torn sheet as a handle. The plastic was from a broken television screen.
Messner was sentenced to two-to-four years in prison on an aggravated assault conviction in Allegheny County. He was transferred to SCI Forest.
Robert Simon, 31, was searched Nov. 9 when correctional officers found a six-and-half inch long plastic ruler sharpened to a point inside his pants pocket. A piece of cloth was wrapped around one end for a handle.
During a search of Simon’s cell, correctional officers found five pieces of paper that tested positive for synthetic marijuana and 136 gambling tickets.
Simon is serving 10 to 20 years in prison for murder and a firearm conviction in Philadelphia County. He remains housed at SCI Dallas.
The three inmates are each charged with possession of a weapon or implements for escape. Simon is further charged with possession of contraband.