5 inmates charged in attacks that severely injured southern New Mexico prison guards

New details emerged Thursday about an attack this week at a southern New Mexico prison that hospitalized two guards.

Authorities now say the pair were viciously beaten by a group of five inmates during a nurse visit at the Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility near Las Cruces. The attack left the corrections officers with severe, but non-life-threatening injuries.

One of those officers was released from University Medical Center in El Paso on Thursday, while the other remained hospitalized. Their names have not been released by corrections officials.

New Mexico State Police filed charges Thursday against the five inmates alleged to have been involved in the attack. Gabriel Sedillo, 47 and Rico Sena, 32 were each facing attempted murder charges, while Robert Dyment, 35, Martin Cuevas 35, and Irvin Ramirez, 26, were all charged with aggravated assault of peace officers.

Details of the sentences the five inmates are currently serving at the facility were not immediately available.

The attacks unfolded about 7:30 p.m. Tuesday when investigators said a prison nurse, escorted by a prison sergeant and officer, entered a pod at the prison to deliver medication to inmates.

“The nurse finished passing out medication and left the pod. The officer and sergeant returned to the pod to place the inmates in lockdown. As the sergeant spoke to the inmates, other inmates congregated around the pod door” and then attacked the pair, according to a statement from corrections officials.

Authorities indicated that another corrections officer was able to stop the attack by firing “less lethal shotgun and pepper ball grenades.”

The prison, which is located near Las Cruces on the West Mesa overlooking the Mesilla Valley and Organ Mountains, remained on lockdown Thursday evening. According to state corrections’ officials, the facility is currently housing 621 medium and minimum security inmates.