LOGAN — A 30-year-old inmate at the Cache County Jail, Mutaz Mohamed, is facing new felony charges after allegedly attempting to attack a correctional officer with a pair of wire strippers in August.
According to court records, Mohamed was charged Monday in Logan’s 1st District Court with aggravated assault by a prisoner, along with misdemeanor counts of interfering with a peace officer and possessing a weapon inside the jail.
The alleged attack occurred on Aug. 23. Mohamed, who was under lockdown restrictions limiting him to one hour outside his cell per day, was repeatedly using his emergency intercom button to request to be let out after maintenance issues disrupted the block’s rotation schedule.
According to charging documents, a deputy in the control room attempted to disable the intercom in Mohamed’s cell but accidentally hit the button that opened his door, releasing him from lockdown.
When Mohamed left his cell and refused orders to return, a deputy began escorting him back. Investigators allege that during the escort, Mohamed reached into his waistband and retrieved a pair of wire strippers, attempting to turn toward the deputy before his movements were restricted.
A review of jail surveillance footage confirmed that a maintenance worker had dropped the wire strippers near Mohamed’s cell door. Mohamed was seen on video retrieving the tool and hiding it in his waistband just prior to the incident, according to detectives.
Mohamed remains in custody facing the new charges.
Individuals arrested and charged in complaints are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.