A former Michigan Department of Corrections officer is facing a felony charge after investigators say she deliberately opened a cell door at Baraga Correctional Facility and let an inmate ambush a fellow guard.
The attack happened March 28 and left the on-duty officer with non life threatening injuries. Court records identify the former officer as 44-year-old Shelby Pennock. She was arraigned July 14 and released on a $500 bond, and is due back in Baraga County court in August.
What investigators say happened
Michigan State Police investigators allege Pennock waited until a co-worker was busy with another task, then intentionally unlocked an inmate's cell so the prisoner could rush out, according to CBS Detroit. The inmate allegedly bolted from the cell, grabbed the officer in a headlock and repeatedly struck him in the head and upper body.
Other corrections officers stepped in and subdued the prisoner, investigators say. The inmate was later charged with two felonies - assault of a person or employee, and prisoner possession of a weapon. MDOC staff notified state police, and a detective from the Calumet post led the investigation, CBS Detroit reported.
Arraignment and next steps
Pennock was arraigned last Tuesday in the 97th District Court in Baraga/L'Anse on one count of assault of a prison employee, with bond set at $500, Corrections1 noted. Court calendars list a probable cause conference on Aug. 11 and a preliminary examination on Aug. 25.
According to Corrections1, Pennock's attorney, Joshua Makkonen, declined to comment on the case, a standard move when a felony file is still in its early stages.
Prison safety and staffing under the microscope
The alleged inside job is landing on a prison that was already drawing tough questions from auditors and lawmakers. A March 2025 performance audit by the Michigan Office of the Auditor General flagged examples of rushed or falsified cell search logs and missed security checks at Baraga Correctional Facility. Auditors warned that lapses like that can increase risks for both staff and inmates.
Those findings have fed broader complaints about staffing shortages and strained day-to-day oversight inside the remote Upper Peninsula prison. Union officials and legislators have pointed to thin staffing as a factor that can make it harder to maintain basic security and supervision, even before you get to rare but serious incidents like an alleged setup assault.
Legal stakes for a former officer
The charge against Pennock - assault of a prison employee - is a felony under Michigan law, specifically MCL 750.197c. It carries a potential sentence of up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $2,500, a range that shows up consistently in court decisions interpreting the statute.
Michigan courts have also made it clear that prosecutors can move forward on criminal cases involving assaults on corrections staff even if the Department of Corrections has already handed out internal discipline. In People v. Adams, the Court of Appeals recently discussed how administrative sanctions and criminal prosecution can run on separate tracks.
What officials say and what comes next
State police say the case was forwarded to the Baraga County Prosecutor's Office before charges were filed and that Pennock is no longer employed by the Michigan Department of Corrections, CBS Detroit reports.
Prosecutors and court officials will control the pretrial schedule from here, including whether the case is resolved through a plea or set for trial. Pennock remains presumed innocent unless and until she is proven guilty in court.
