Rockland County District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh II announced on Tuesday, that Shaquille Gage, 21, of Spring Valley, New York has pleaded guilty to one count of Assault in the Second Degree for injuring a Rockland County Corrections Officer while the defendant was confined in the Rockland County Jail before the Honorable Kevin Russo on May 9, 2024.
On April 7, 2024, the defendant refused to comply with multiple verbal instructions given to him by Rockland County Corrections Officers. He became aggressive towards the corrections officers and punched one in the face. There were two separate struggles during which the defendant continued to resist corrections officers. As a result of these struggles, a Rockland County Corrections Officer was injured. The officer was treated for his injuries at a local hospital.
District Attorney Tom Walsh said, “The conduct of the defendant in this case is unacceptable and caused injuries to a corrections officer. Everyday corrections officers across the country play a vital role in our justice system, from helping rehabilitate prisoners to keeping them safe.”
Rockland County Sheriff Louis Falco III stated that violence against Correction Officers will not be tolerated, and that the Sheriff’s Office will do all it can to protect our officers and hold violent individuals accountable. “Our Officers work under difficult and often dangerous conditions while providing for the care, custody and control of individual’s remanded to the custody of the Sheriff, and the Corrections Officers of the Sheriff’s Office deserve to know that individuals who commit crimes against them will be held to account, Sheriff Falco said.”
Sheriff Falco would also like to thank the Correctional staff and Officers from the Police
Division who investigated this case, and the assistant district attorneys who handled the
prosecution.
Division who investigated this case, and the assistant district attorneys who handled the
prosecution.
Gage currently remains incarcerated in the Rockland County Jail pending sentencing, which is scheduled for July 10, 2024. The defendant will be sentenced to 3 years in state prison.
Senior Assistant District Attorney Emily McNiff prosecuted the case.
