Florence inmate guilty of threatening to kill correctional officers, their families

An inmate at the Florence Correctional Complex has been convicted of threatening to assault and kill correctional officers and their families.

Theron Maxton, 59, will be sentenced on May 1.

According to an indictment, the crimes happened in November of 2012. The document says Maxton threatened to assault or murder prison correctional officers, and in some cases their families, in retaliation for the officers performing their official duties.

The indictment says the threats were made in letters, either to the correctional officer directly, or in one instance to a former now released cellmate. It says that in that letter, Maxton attempted to persuade the former inmate to kill the Prison staff members and their families.

The indictment goes on to say that Maxton said directly to an FBI special agent that if given the opportunity he would try to kill prison staff members.

The jury officially convicted Maxton on four counts of influencing a federal officer by threats to the officer and/or the officer’s family member.

Maxton faces not more than 10 years, and up to a $250,000 fine, per count, for each of the four counts.