A 30-year-old San Diego inmate already charged in a deputy stabbing case is now facing a fresh set of felony counts, with prosecutors alleging he attacked a jail deputy with a knife inside a county lockup. The new accusations stem from an Oct. 20 incident at the George Bailey Detention Facility in Otay Mesa, and court records indicate the defendant remains held without bail as the latest complaint moves through Superior Court.
New charges inside George Bailey
According to NBC 7 San Diego, 30-year-old Ernesto Olea is now accused of attempted murder of a peace officer and assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer in connection with the Oct. 20 incident at George Bailey. The criminal complaint alleges that a knife was used in the attempted murder and assault, and it also lists related weapons charges tied to other dates while Olea has been in custody.
Earlier knife attack at courthouse
The new counts pile onto an earlier case from May, when the San Diego County Sheriff's Office said Olea attacked a deputy while being moved from a courtroom to a holding cell at the Central Courthouse. In a May statement, the agency quoted Sgt. Shane Burt said Olea "tried to stab the deputy in the head and neck with a makeshift knife" as the holding-cell door opened. The deputy suffered minor cuts to his hand, according to the release from the San Diego County Sheriff's Department. Local outlets, including 10News, also reported on that episode at the time.
Arraignment and a growing charge sheet
At Monday's arraignment, Olea entered not guilty pleas to a charge of battery on a custodial officer allegedly committed on Aug. 27, as well as multiple counts of possessing a weapon in a penal institution on Aug. 27, Oct. 20, Nov. 2, and Nov. 27, NBC 7 San Diego reported. Prosecutors have not yet laid out the full scope of the evidence they plan to present, and court records show Olea continues to be held without bail.
Potential penalties if convicted
The accusations come with the potential for steep prison time if a jury ultimately convicts. Legal resources from Shouse Law Group explain that attempted murder in California is prosecuted under Penal Code §664, and that an attempted murder of a peace officer can expose a defendant to decades behind bars, including a possible life term with the possibility of parole or a sentence of 15 years to life in some cases. As with any criminal case, however, the current counts remain allegations unless and until they are proven in court.
Sheriff's office reaction and what comes next
The sheriff's office has framed the alleged knife attacks as a stark reminder of the dangers deputies face in courthouse corridors and inside detention facilities. In its May statement, the agency said the earlier incident "serves as a reminder of the risks our deputies face daily in our communities, detention facilities and court facilities." The San Diego County District Attorney's Office is prosecuting the cases. No trial date has been set, and the next moves will be dictated by the court calendar as the new complaint and the earlier charges proceed.
