State inmate facing felony assault charges in shanking

Ed Lewis, The Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
·2 min read
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Aug. 4—JACKSON TWP. — A Wilkes-Barre man serving a state prison sentence is facing felony aggravated assault charges alleging he stabbed another inmate at the State Correctional Institution at Dallas.

Tony Ransome, 25, used a shank made out of Plexiglass sharpened to a point wrapped in a cloth to stab Unique Jones, 32, in B-Block on July 24, according to the criminal complaint filed by the Pennsylvania State Police at Wilkes-Barre.

Ransome and Jones were standing near each other when Ransome reached into his pocket, removed the makeshift weapon and repeatedly stabbed Jones, the complaint says.

Jones was transported to Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Plains Township where he remained for several days.

State police said the assault was recorded by surveillance cameras.

Ransome is facing charges of aggravated assault, simple assault and inmate in possession of a weapon. The charges were filed with District Judge Brian Tupper in Kingston Township.

Ransome was sentenced April 11, 2022, by Luzerne County Judge Joseph F. Sklarosky Jr. to four-to-eight years in state prison on charges of illegal possession of a firearm and receiving stolen property.

Wilkes-Barre police charged Ransome after he fired five rounds from a shotgun into an unoccupied Toyota minivan on Sambourne Street on July 16, 2021.

After the shooting, Pittston police arrested Ransome who was in possession of a 20-gauge pump action shotgun and a Glock 40-caliber handgun loaded with hollow point bullets, court records say.

The handgun was reported stolen to Wilkes-Barre police in 2015.

Authorities in court records say Ransome is a convicted felon and prohibited from owning, carrying and possessing a firearm.

Jones was sentenced by Luzerne County Judge David W. Lupas on Dec. 13, 2021, to three-to-six years in state prison on charges of aggravated assault by vehicle, fleeing or attempting to elude police, criminal trespass and simple assault for striking Angela Velasquez, 39, as she crossed East Northampton Street at South Main Street, Wilkes-Barre, on Feb. 10, 2021.

Velasquez suffered serious injuries and had her right leg amputated near the knee. She died at her Wilkes-Barre home on March 6, 2022.

After striking Velasquez, Jones sped away, abandoned the vehicle on West South Street, banged on a door of a residence saying to a woman, "I'm shot and need help," before he forced open the door and entered.

Court records say Jones then entered the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center, forced a female student to give him a ride and later took an Uber vehicle that drove him past the scene at East Northampton and South Main streets.

Jones was captured by the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Unit in Greensboro, N.C., on March 4, 2021.

The criminal complaint filed against Ransome does not indicate if he knew Velasquez.