Tallahassee, Florida – Francisco Avalos, 28, an inmate in a Federal Correctional Institution, was indicted by a federal grand jury for accessory after the fact and possessing contraband in prison. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges today.
Avalos is the second person to be indicted for an alleged incident on April 18, 2024. Jose Melendez-Rivera was indicted by a federal grand jury for assault with intent to commit murder, assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm, assault resulting in serious bodily injury, and possessing contraband in prison. Read more here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl/pr/federal-inmate-indicted-multiple-assault-charges-and-possession-contraband .
Avalos appeared for his arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick in Tallahassee, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for July 20, 2026, at 8:30 am before United States District Judge Mark E. Walker.
The case was a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Services Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher C. Patterson and Eric Welch are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .
Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office — Northern District of Florida — U.S. Department of Justice press release.