SEDGWICK COUNTY — An inmate accused in an attack on a Kansas jail deputy returned to court Wednesday afternoon for a preliminary hearing.
James Chavez, 21, entered a guilty plea to charges of aggravated battery before Judge Chrystal Krier, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.
On April 14, a Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office Detention Deputy suffered serious burns after an inmate identified as Chavez launched a targeted attack inside the Sedgwick County Adult Detention Facility.
The incident happened while the deputy was speaking with inmates in a housing pod. Chavez obtained a pot of boiling water and threw it on the deputy, causing second and third-degree burns to the back part of his body.
Sedgwick County EMS transported the deputy to a local hospital, where he was admitted to the Burn Unit. The 30-year-old deputy who has served with the Sheriff’s Office for nearly two years is expected.
Chavez was originally booked into the detention facility in March 2024 on pending juvenile charges and later faced an additional charge for trafficking contraband into a correctional facility He has had 39 documented disciplinary incidents since entering the facility.
He is scheduled for sentencing August 22, according to the district attorney's office.
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