Four men charged in connection with attack on VADOC officer in Sussex, K-9 stabbed multiple times

SUSSEX COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Four men have been indicted by a Sussex County grand jury in connection with an attack on a Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) officer and her police dog, Rivan, in April that left the nearly six-year-old dog dead.

According to a June 28 press release from the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, four men believed to be associated with the national gang Mara Salvatrucha 13 (MS-13) have each been charged with multiple counts related to an attack on April 2 at Sussex I State Prison This resulted in the death of Rivan, VADOC officer Kharmishia Phillip-Fields’s tracking dog.

According to VADOC, three of those men – who were incarcerated at the prison at the time – attacked another inmate on Tuesday, April 2, while the fourth was on watch. When Phillip-Fields, with Rivan’s help, attempted to stop the violence, they were reportedly attacked by the men.

Phillip-Fields was injured but survived. Rivan, on the other hand, was “stabbed and kicked multiple times by the inmates” and later died, according to the VADOC’s initial press release on the incident.

VADOC later honored Rivan’s victims with a memorial serviceand said he died protecting his handler and was a true hero.

“Any loss of life is tragic,” said Sussex County Prosecutor Regina Sykes. “The loss of the most vulnerable and defenseless is even more tragic. The Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office appreciates the ultimate sacrifice made by K-9 Rivan and can rest assured that his death was not in vain.”

The men accused of these crimes and the charges against them are as follows:

• Ronald Sanchez-Ramirez: Killing or injuring a police animal, willful mob assault, conspiracy to commit willful mob assault, gang membership, assault and battery on a police officer, stabbing during the commission of a felony, and prisoner in possession of a deadly weapon.
• Nelson Torres Alvarez: Killing or injuring a police animal, conspiracy to commit malicious wounding by mob, gang membership, assault and battery on a police officer, and possession of a deadly weapon while under arrest.
• Axel Wilfredo Ortiz Garcia: Malicious assault by mob, conspiracy to commit malicious assault by mob, membership in a gang, being in possession of a deadly weapon while a prisoner, and stabbing during the commission of a felony.
• José Antonio Sagastume: Malicious assault by mob, gang membership, and conspiracy to commit malicious assault by mob.

VADOC Director Chad Dotson released a statement in response to these charges.

“From the moment this heinous attack was committed, the Virginia Department of Corrections has pursued the prosecution of these inmates to the fullest extent possible under the law. Officer Phillip-Fields and Rivan deserve nothing less. Their heroic actions may have saved the lives of several members of the correctional team and inmates at Sussex I State Prison.

“I thank Governor Glenn Youngkin and Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Terrance Cole for their full and unwavering support of our employees following the brutal attack. I also thank Attorney General Jason Miyares and Sussex County Prosecutor Regina Sykes for their support of VADOC in securing justice in this matter on behalf of the department, Officer Phillip Fields, Rivan and all members of our corrections team and police dogs who work every day to ensure long-term public safety in Virginia.”

VADOC Director Chad Dotson