TALLAHASSEE — A 28-year-old federal inmate has been indicted on charges of accessory after the fact and possessing contraband in prison for his alleged role in a violent attack at a federal correctional institution, U.S. Attorney John P. Heekin announced.
Francisco Avalos is the second inmate charged in connection with an incident that occurred on April 18, 2024. The first, Jose Melendez-Rivera, was previously indicted on four counts: assault with intent to commit murder, assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm, assault resulting in serious bodily injury, and possessing contraband in prison.
Avalos appeared for his arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick in Tallahassee. His jury trial is scheduled for July 20, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. before United States District Judge Mark E. Walker.
The case was a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Services Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher C. Patterson and Eric Welch are prosecuting the case in the Northern District of Florida.
“An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office stated. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which the government bears the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Avalos’s trial before Judge Walker is set for July 20, 2026, in Tallahassee.