LEBANON, Ohio (WKRC) — Two prison employees have been charged following an Ohio State Highway Patrol investigation into the death of an inmate at Lebanon Correctional Institution, where investigators say the inmate died after an altercation with his cellmate and a subsequent use of force by prison staff.
The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction confirmed to WTVG that the inmate was Laselle Allen, 38, of Toledo. Allen died Nov. 29, 2025, while serving a 1 1/2-year prison sentence for aggravated assault and attempted discharge of a firearm at or near a habitation or school. The station reports that he had been convicted in Lucas County in connection with a March 2024 shooting. His cause of death has not been released.
According to an Ohio State Highway Patrol incident report, Allen became involved in an altercation with his cellmate before responding correctional officers used force. He was taken to the prison infirmary, where he suffered what investigators described as a medical episode, before being transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Jeromy Roberts was charged on July 22 with assault, a first-degree misdemeanor, and dereliction of duty, a second-degree misdemeanor. He sprayed chemical irritant into Allen’s face six times within a minute, while Allen was handcuffed on the floor., according to court papers. He’s also accused of using vulgarities and showing little concern for Allen just prior to his death…