HOUTZDALE – A Sergeant at the state prison in Houtzdale is facing charges for allegedly strangling an inmate and intimidating other employees who witnessed the attack.
Steven Paul Poborsky, 42, South Fork, is charged with felony intimidating witness/victim, as well as misdemeanor counts of strangulation, official oppression, and simple assault and summary harassment for an incident at the prison on Feb. 13.
According to the affidavit of probable cause filed in District Judge James Glass’s office, an inmate who had an injury to his finger due to suspected abuse from the staff, was taken for treatment. While he was in the examination room, sitting on the exam table, Poborsky and a nurse entered the room.
The nurse asked him how the injury occurred and when he began to explain, Poborsky asked him, “You want to start making false claims? Is that where you want to take it?” He then allegedly grabbed the inmate by the throat and pushed him back onto the exam table, forcing him to lay flat on his back.
The other correction officers in the room pulled Poborsky off the victim. After this, the inmate refused further assessment of his injury.
The inmate told investigators that he felt intimidated by Poborsky who afterward followed him back to his cell.
Later one of the CO’s said Poborksy told him he would be kicked out and labeled as a “rat” for the rest of his career if he said anything about the incident.
The nurse also reported feeling threatened by Poborsky who immediately after, told her she did “not see anything.” Because of the alleged intimidation, neither of them reported the incident.
Poborsky’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for Dec. 13 during centralized court.
