Jury convicts Thomson inmate of assaulting correctional officer

ROCKFORD – After a seven-day trial, a federal jury found a Thomson inmate guilty of attacking and injuring a correctional officer, the U.S. District Attorney’s office said in a news release.

Joseph Van Sach, 49, of Chicago, attacked the unidentified officer on April 2, 2019, and was convicted Tuesday.

He faces up to 20 years at his sentencing, which has yet to be scheduled, the release said.

According to court records, Van Sach was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm in 2005, and was sentenced to 17 years and 6 months, an enhanced sentence based on his previous for violent offenses, two for aggravated battery to a police officer and one for armed robbery.

Defendants who have three or more prior violent felony convictions in any court are eligible for enhanced sentences of 15 years to life.

Van Sach was being housed in Thomson’s Special Management Unit, for inmates with specially classified behavioral issues. The officer was attacked shortly after inmates began being placed in the unit at the then-new prison, prosecutors said at his arraignment in June 1019, the Rockford Register Star reported.

Van Sach was thought to be the first inmate from the unit to be charged with attacking someone inside the prison, the Register Star said.