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Windsor Coleman, 37, formerly of Massapequa, was sentenced in Chautauqua County Court this week to 20 years to life in prison following his convictions in June after a jury trial in which Coleman was found guilty of four counts of second-degree assault.
Coleman assaulted correction officers while Coleman was housed in the Lakeview Shock Incarceration Correctional Facility. Coleman was also convicted of two counts of first-degree promoting prison contraband at the Lakeview Shock Incarceration Correctional Facility. The trial was run by felony prosecutor Andrew Hall, who also successfully argued for "persistent felon" status at Coleman's sentencing. Coleman was represented by the Chautauqua County Public Defender's Office.
"Correction Officers put their lives on the line every day to ensure the safety and security of incarcerated individuals,” said Jason Schmidt, county district attorney. “They should not live with the threat of injury. Chautauqua County has both a county jail and a state correctional facility, this office is committed to ensuring that the officers and other employees who work in these facilities can do their jobs and perform their responsibilities free from harm from those they've been entrusted to supervise. Given the uptick in violence within the prison system in recent years, I hope Judge Foley's sentence deters others from engaging in the same conduct. Special thanks to my colleague, Andrew Hall, for his fine work on this case in holding the line, securing the convictions and pursuing the appropriate prison sentence."
On February 26, 2024, three correction officers were injured after being attacked by Coleman while performing a welfare check on his cell after Coleman refused to respond to calls for meal delivery. During the incident, two officers were struck by Coleman with an object modified to be a weapon. The third officer sustained injuries during the officer's efforts to stop the attack and subdue Coleman.
“The safety of our staff remains a top priority, and violence within our facilities will never be tolerated,” said Daniel F. Martuscello III, state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision commissioner. “We hope this lengthy sentence serves as a deterrent against future acts of violence in our correctional facilities, and we will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to prosecute these offenses to the fullest extent of the law. I commend the Lakeview Shock Incarceration Correctional Facility staff for their professionalism during this incident, and I thank District Attorney Schmidt and his team for holding this individual accountable.”