Federal inmate at Terre Haute sentenced to additional five years for fatal stabbing of fellow inmate

Otha Don Watkins III, 43, of Cairo, Illinois has been sentenced to five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter and possessing contraband in prison.

According to court documents, in April of 2023, Otha Watkins was an inmate at the Federal Correctional Complex in Terre Haute, Indiana, serving a 23-year sentence for aiding and abetting armed bank robbery, possession of a stolen firearm, and conspiracy to commit robbery. While in prison, Watkins obtained a piece of metal, sharpened to a point on one end and wrapped with white cloth on the other. This object, commonly known as a “prison shank” is classified as prohibited because it is a weapon or designed or intended to be used as a weapon.

On April 14, 2023, Watkins was assigned to Unit D-2 of the USP. Inmate Carlos Shelton (“Shelton”) was assigned to the same unit. That day, Watkins and Shelton met on a tier in the unit and began fighting, both armed with improvised shanks. During the course of the fight, Watkins fatally stabbed Shelton in the chest, damaging arteries associated with the heart and lungs. The stab wound led to a massive hemothorax. Shelton died on April 14, 2023.

“Given Otha Watkins’ history of violent offenses, culminating in the brutal attack he carried out in the Terre Haute prison, it’s evident that he should never be allowed to live outside federal custody again,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “I commend the FBI and our federal prosecutor for their tireless efforts to ensure this defendant faces justice. I hope that the conclusion of this case provides some sense of closure and peace to Mr. Shelton’s family.”

"Today's sentencing marks the conclusion of a senseless act of violence that took place within the walls of our correctional institution,” said a Bureau of Prisons Spokesperson. “Otha Watkins demonstrated an utter disregard for human life and the rule of law. The court's decision affirms that such actions carry severe consequences, and it sends a clear and resounding message: acts of violence in federal prison will be met with the full weight of the law."

“This brutal killing is a reminder that violence can occur anywhere, even within the confines of the most secure environments,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley. “The FBI and our partners are committed to protecting all individuals, regardless of their incarceration status, and we will continue to work to ensure those who commit violent acts while incarcerated, are held fully accountable.”

The FBI and Bureau of Prisons investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge James R. Sweeney II.