Two prison employees have been charged following an Ohio State Highway Patrol investigation into the death of an inmate at Lebanon Correctional Institution. According to authorities, the inmate died as a result of an incident with his cellmate and subsequent use of force by prison staff.
The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction verified to WTVG that the convict was Laselle Allen, 38, from Toledo. Allen died on November 29, 2025, while serving a 1 1/2-year jail sentence for aggravated assault and attempted discharge of a firearm at or near a home or school. According to the station, he was convicted in Lucas County for a March 2024 shooting. His cause of death has not been revealed.
According to an Ohio State Highway Patrol incident report, Allen got into a fight with his cellmate before responding correctional personnel used force. He was taken to the jail infirmary, where he had what detectives characterized as a medical episode, before being evacuated to a nearby hospital and confirmed dead.
On July 22, Jeromy Roberts was charged with assault (first-degree misdemeanor) and desertion of duty (second-degree misdemeanor). According to court documents, he sprayed a chemical irritant into Allen’s face six times in less than a minute as Allen was shackled on the floor. He’s also accused of using filthy language and demonstrating little concern for Allen just before his death.
Tiffany Ramsey was also charged with desertion of duty, which is a second-degree misdemeanor. According to court filings, she did not monitor Allen’s vital signs or conduct CPR on time.
The Highway Patrol report identifies desertion of duty as the investigated infraction, but it does not disclose the circumstances surrounding the use of force or Allen’s cause of death.
The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction previously stated that a corrections officer and a nurse were placed on administrative leave following Allen’s death. The government also confirmed an inquiry into the prison officer’s use of force.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol says the investigation is still open and ongoing. Authorities have not released any additional information.
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