Four Stephens County inmates accused of November jail beating

DUNCAN — Arrest warrants were issued for four Stephens County jail inmates for the Nov. 5 beating of another inmate that led to him suffering two broken ribs and a collapsed lung.

The Stephens County District Court felony arrest warrants issued Monday charged the inmates with felony counts of aggravated assault and battery: Dylan Crawford, 20, and Dakota Lee Burden, both of Marlow; and Arturo Hinojos, 19; and Adrian Nathaniel Vargas, 20, both of Duncan.

While the crime is punishable by up to five years in prison, Burden faces up to 15 years if convicted due to June 2021 convictions in Stephens County for larceny of controlled dangerous substances, second-degree burglary, and convicted felons prohibited from carrying firearms, records indicate.

The investigation began after the inmate was taken shortly before 7 p.m. Nov. 5 to the hospital where it was later learned he’d suffered the broken ribs and collapsed lung as well as cuts to the face. At that time, investigators believed he’d fallen from the top bunk in his cell, the warrant affidavit states. The injured inmate, however, refused to make a statement.

While reviewing jail security video, Deputy Michael Yokley stated, it was learned the injured man had been assaulted by the four inmates. They were seen entering the inmate’s cell at 6:07 p.m. and Hinojos hit the man first before following him to the back of the cell where he was seen throwing another punch, the affidavit states. Crawford was then seen coming into the cell and throwing a punch, followed by Burden and Vargas, who were both seen through the window punching the man. Another inmate came into the cell but stopped inside the doorway to watch the fight, according to the deputy.

The four inmates left the cell moments later and the injured man was in his cell for 38 minutes with many inmates entering and exiting, Yokley stated. Shortly after 6:45 p.m., the injured inmate was pulled on a mat from his cell to the main pod door, according to the affidavit.