Sheriff: Man started jail riot so he could leave facility and go to prison
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POCATELLO — The man who allegedly started a riot at the Bannock County Jail last week will be criminally charged.
Charles Pompa, 23, was in jail waiting for transportation to the Idaho State Prison on felony burglary and felony drug possession when he’s accused of instigating a riot that involved up to 26 inmates on July 11. He is now being charged with felony damage to jail property.
Pompa faces an additional five years in prison and a $10,000 fine on top of his three years fixed and three years indeterminate for his burglary and drug conviction. Bannock County Sheriff Lorin Nielsen said the jail is asking for reimbursement to the county of approximately $2,000 to pay for the damage Pompa caused.
Other inmates involved in the riot are not being charged.
“We realize that when those that are incarcerated (are) jam-packed like we are, that does cause tension,” Nielsen explained during a news conference Tuesday afternoon.
He said the reason they chose to charge Pompa is that Pompa told them he didn’t want to be in the Bannock County Jail and wanted to be moved to the state prison quicker.
“Though it would be nice to wash our hands of him and send him on to prison … we hold them accountable,” Nielsen said. “I don’t want any other inmate to get the same idea that if you want to go to the prison system faster — because we are holding quite a few that are waiting — that all you have to do is to tear our jail up.”
Nielsen said Pompa has been removed from the transport list and will be in the Bannock County Jail awaiting trial for the damages he allegedly caused to the jail.