KINGSTON, N.Y. (NEWS10) — A 19-year-old inmate at the Ulster County jail was arrested after detectives found a makeshift weapon under his mattress, according to the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office. Niaki Dial, of Esopus, allegedly harassed a corrections officer (CO), threatening to stab him.
Law enforcement says on Tuesday, May 30, around 10 a.m., Dial harassed a CO and threatened to use a “shank” on the officer. This threat led to the search of his living quarters where COs say they found a makeshift weapon under his mattress.
Through an investigation, officers found Dial fabricated the weapon out of a piece of broken plastic and sharpened it. Later that day, around 11:40 a.m., Dial allegedly took a cup filled with urine and threw it at COs.
Dial was arrested and charged on April 4 with first-degree attempted assault, second-degree assault, and first-degree promoting prison contraband after he assaulted and stabbed another inmate in the neck with a pen he fabricated into a weapon, according to deputies.
Charges:
- First-degree promoting prison contraband
- Aggravated harassment of an employee by an inmate
- Fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon
Dial remains incarcerated in the Ulster County jail on unrelated charges, and will be arraigned on these new charges in the City of Kingston Court at a future date.
