Rudy Mendoza, age 41, was convicted on July 31 of voluntary manslaughter in the death of his cellmate following a five-day jury trial before United States District Judge Keli M. Neary, according to an Aug. 5 announcement from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Sentencing has not yet been scheduled.
United States Attorney Brian D. Miller said that on July 30, 2019, staff from the Bureau of Prisons found Mendoza’s cellmate dead in their cell within the Special Housing Unit at United States Penitentiary, Canaan, located in Waymart, Pennsylvania. Correctional officers observed blood throughout various locations in the cell and noted that the victim had multiple injuries to his head and face. The cause of death was determined to be cardiorespiratory collapse secondary to physical trauma.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Prisons. Assistant United States Attorneys Scott Ford, Stephen Dukes, and William Behe prosecuted the case.
The maximum penalty for voluntary manslaughter is 15 years imprisonment, as well as a term of supervised release following imprisonment and a fine. The final sentence will be imposed by Judge Neary after consideration of federal sentencing statutes and guidelines.
The U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania operates under the Department of Justice and serves about 3.2 million residents across central Pennsylvania with facilities in Harrisburg, Scranton, Williamsport, and Wilkes-Barre; it prosecutes federal crimes, handles civil litigation for the government, provides victim assistance programs, and promotes community safety through initiatives such as Project Safe Neighborhoods and re-entry services designed to reduce recidivism across its region covering over 21,900 square miles, according to its official website.