Oneida County Jail inmate charged with felony offense after allegedly punching corrections officer

ONEIDA COUNTY- An inmate at the county’s correctional facility is accused of punching a corrections officer.

The incident occurred on May 16. As a result of police investigation, Jason Johnston, 43, of Rome, NY was charged with one felony count of attempted assault in the second-degree.

When this incident occurred, police have determined that Johnston was ordered by a corrections officer to secure his cell because of being disorderly.

It is alleged that Johnston refused these orders and, instead, punched the corrections officer with a closed fist.

A struggle ensued while additional officers scrambled for backup.

Authorities were ultimately able to get Johnston under control before placing him in mechanical restraints and escorting him to a different housing unit.

As far as the injured officer goes, they were taken to Wynn Hospital for treatment of minor injuries before being released.

Johnston is currently being held on other charges and was recently arrested on April 28, 2026, by a member of the Criminal Investigation Unit and charged with Assault in the Second Degree (class D Felony) stemming from an altercation with another inmate at the Correctional Facility.

Johnston was turned back over to Corrections Staff to await arraignment in CAP Court at a later time.

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