Probe of fatal prison melee continues

Nearly six months after rioting led to the deaths of two federal inmates in Florence, investigators say they are still working to identify the people responsible.

A Billings, Mont., woman said she believes her husband was unfairly punished for playing a role in the deadly April 20 melee - citing documents that may shed light on the government's investigation thus far.

Frank Sims, 32, was transferred from U.S. Penitentiary-Florence to a federal facility in Oklahoma after rioting prompted guards to open fire on inmates in the recreation yard, killing two inmates during a fight that injured 30 others.

According to an incident report from the Bureau of Prisons, Sims joined five fellow inmates in forcing their way out of the cafeteria to join in the ruckus in which a staff member was injured.

Sims told his wife, Abby Sims of Billings, Mont., that he was ordered to leave the cafeteria and became trapped in the recreation yard during the riot.

The Bureau of Prisons said 150 to 200 inmates were involved. Its report lists Frank Sims as a suspect in the death of an "accomplice," assault, rioting and refusing an order. Prison officials said they learned of his participation in June.

Last month, however, prison warden Sara M. Revell said in a letter to Abby Sims that her husband was transferred because of an administrative violation related to the riot and that he "is not being reviewed for prosecution."

The Sept. 13 letter did not say whether new evidence came to light or provide further details about the riot, instead noting it remains under investigation.

Frank Sims is serving a federal sentence on drug charges.

Four of the other five inmates named in the incident report were transferred, records show. They are Christopher Brandon Williams, 28, Mulindwa Traylor, 23, Nathan Laray Harvey, 29, and Donte Perry, 31.

The fifth person mentioned in the report, Nick Pannell, 42, remains at Florence.
Jeff Dorschner, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorneys Office in Denver, declined to comment, citing the government's policy against discussing ongoing investigations, and a Bureau of Prisons representative in Washington, D.C., said she did not have enough information about the case to respond.

-

Contact the writer: 636-0366 or lance.benzel@gazette.com