LINCOLN — Three inmates already serving time in Nebraska prisons are now facing a total of 13 new felony charges following a violent attack on correctional officers at the Reception and Treatment Center in Lincoln nearly two years ago. The incident, which occurred on May 31, 2023, left five guards injured, including one who was stabbed and kicked in the head, according to court records filed this week.
The inmates — Eric Ramirez, 33; John Meyers, 39; and Jonathan Gonzalez Salas, 23 — were initially booked in April by the Nebraska State Patrol on suspicion of attempted murder, but prosecutors ultimately filed charges of second-degree assault instead.
Meyers and Gonzalez Salas are each facing three counts of second-degree assault, with Meyers additionally charged with using a deadly weapon. Ramirez is facing six charges, including two counts of assault on an officer, attempted second-degree assault, and three weapons charges.
At a court hearing Wednesday, all three appeared virtually from the Tecumseh State Correctional Institution, where they are currently serving unrelated sentences. An affidavit from State Patrol Investigator Amanda DeFreece described a chaotic and violent confrontation, where officers attempted to remove Gonzalez Salas from a cell he was not assigned to. The three inmates allegedly conspired, and Ramirez told a guard, “Didn’t I tell you today’s the day I’m going to kill you?” before the group launched their attack.
According to the affidavit, Gonzalez Salas began swinging at a sergeant, while Meyers — armed with a large shank — was unaffected by two cans of pepper spray. Ramirez reportedly chased and stabbed a corporal with a shiv. Although the officer initially thought he was being punched, video footage showed he was actually being stabbed in the back. Ramirez was described by one guard as “obviously intoxicated” and was also unfazed by pepper spray.
In the melee, Gonzalez Salas tackled a guard attempting to retrieve handcuffs and stomped on another officer’s head.
At the time of the assault:
Gonzalez Salas was serving 14 to 20 years for second-degree assault and a weapons charge out of Saline County.
Ramirez is serving 128 to 180 years for first-degree murder and other charges related to gang violence in Douglas County.
Meyers is serving a 45- to 60-year sentence for manslaughter, robbery, and additional offenses, also in Douglas County.
The investigation is ongoing, and the charges mark a significant legal development in one of the more violent incidents in recent Nebraska prison history.
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