Jan 17, 2017 2 min read

WAYNESBURG – A prisoner at SCI-Greene who assaulted a corrections officer in July, punching him numerous times in the head and face, pleaded guilty last week before Greene County Judge Lou Dayich.

As part of an agreement, Christopher Easter, 25, of Philadelphia, pleaded guilty Jan. 11 to aggravated assault, simple assault, harassment and terroristic threats and was sentenced to 9 to 18 years in prison.

The sentence will run concurrent to his current sentence, a 30- to 60-year sentence imposed in 2012 for attempted murder.

On July 6, Easter punched corrections officer David Horne Jr. in the face and head, causing injuries that required hospital treatment, according to the criminal complaint.

Horne had asked Easter to return to his cell and Easter refused to do so.

After Horne called for backup, Easter punched him several times. Horne backed away from Easter, but Easter followed him and threw several more punches. When Horne fell, Easter punched him again, the complaint said.

Easter also threatened to kill Horne before other officers arrived and handcuffed him.

Horne was taken to WHS-Greene hospital for an injury to a front tooth and a bloody lip and nose. He was released the same night, according to court documents.

Horne told police he worked in that block of the prison before, but never had any problems with Easter.

Easter was returned to SCI-Albion, where he apparently was transferred following the assault.

His original sentence is for attempted murder. According to news accounts from 2012, Easter pleaded guilty to holding up a stranger on the street. Easter demanded the man’s wallet, then shot him in the neck, leaving the man a quadriplegic.