LUZERNE COUNTY, Pa. — A corrections officer and an inmate at SCI Dallas have been arrested in connection with an inmate's death.
Corrections Officer Osmel Martinez is charged with involuntary manslaughter
Nafese Pierce, an inmate, is charged with homicide.
The Luzerne County district attorney's office says Pierce stabbed another inmate to death in January, and Martinez instigated the killing.
Court paperwork lays out what investigators believe happened inside SCI Dallas earlier this year.
According to the affidavit, this all started as an argument between Nafese Pierce of Philadelphia and the victim over phone usage inside SCI Dallas. Investigators say that argument led to Pierce using a prison shank to stab the victim, Edgar Gearhart of Sunbury, in the neck while fighting him in his cell.
Pierce is facing homicide, weapons, and tampering with evidence charges.
Investigators say the corrections officer on duty that day, Osmel Martinez, is also responsible for the death as he encouraged and egged on the two inmates to fight. Investigators say Pierce even told Martinez he wanted to fight with Gearhart, and he told them to "take it up to the cell."
Martinez is facing an involuntary manslaughter charge, as well as an obstruction and providing false information charges.
Investigators say, given the nature and amount of hostility in the prison setting, it took a lot of work to get these arrests made.
"It's extremely unusual, so I credit the investigators for uncovering this type of incident, especially, you can imagine how difficult it is to get statements and evidence in such a circumstance. So, you know, a lot of credit to ADA Ferrentino who helped the investigators put this together, the Pennsylvania State Police investigators, and our own detectives," said Luzerne County District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce.
Pierce was denied bail. Bail for Martinez was set at $50,000. There is no word on his employment status with the prison.
Both are due back in court later this month.