Jay Clayton, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York | Department of Justice
Mario Powell was found guilty in Manhattan federal court of assaulting a corrections officer with a deadly weapon and possessing prison contraband. The verdict followed a five-day trial before U.S. District Judge John P. Cronan.
“Mario Powell brutally assaulted a federal corrections officer with a makeshift weapon made of razor blades,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Today, a jury of his peers held Powell accountable for this vicious attack. Our Office is proud to stand behind and pursue justice for our law enforcement partners who bravely put their lives on the line every day to protect the people of New York.”
The incident occurred on May 30, 2020, at the Metropolitan Correctional Center, where Powell used a weapon made from razor blades to injure the officer’s neck.
Powell, 34, from the Bronx, New York, was convicted on one count of assaulting a federal officer using a deadly or dangerous weapon, which carries up to 20 years in prison, and one count of possession of prison contraband, carrying up to five years in prison. Sentencing will be determined by Judge Cronan and is scheduled for November 14, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Clayton commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation for its investigative work on the case.
The prosecution was led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas John Wright, Henry L. Ross, and Leslie B. Arffa from the General Crimes Unit, with support from Paralegal Specialists Myrnette Millington and Phineas Santello.
