Riot and assault in Avellino prison: the names of the 11 reached by precautionary measures

Avellino – Eleven inmates have been subject to precautionary measures following a violent riot that broke out last October in the Avellino prison, culminating in the attempted murder of an inmate, Paolo Piccolo, who is still hospitalized today in very serious conditions.

Among those arrested is Valentino Tarallo, 31 years old, Neapolitan from Secondigliano, already known to the police as the manager of a drug dealing center and believed to be the head of a group that aimed to control drug trafficking even inside the penitentiary.

The operation, coordinated by the Flying Squad of the Avellino Police Headquarters and the Penitentiary Police, was conducted under the direction of the first director Ingenious Ring and of the police commissioner Pasquale Picone. The investigations, initiated by the Public Prosecutor's Office of Avellino, led to the issuing of a precautionary order by the Judge for Preliminary Investigations, who ordered the detention in prison of the 11 inmates believed to be responsible for the attack.

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The dynamics of the aggression

On October 22, 2024, inside the Prison House of Avellino, a violent brawl broke out between two rival factions, both intent on gaining control of the illicit activities in the penitentiary. The victim, Paul Little, originally from Vesuvius, was allegedly targeted because he was trying to carve out a space for himself in the same market. The attack was reconstructed thanks to images from surveillance cameras and the testimonies of some inmates.

The raid began with an attack on the Penitentiary Police officers, who were disarmed of their keys and rendered incapable of intervening. Subsequently, the group of attackers broke into Piccolo's cell, dragging him out and repeatedly hitting him with blunt objects. The prisoner suffered very serious trauma, including a brain hematoma, and was rushed to intensive care, where he remains in critical condition.

The mass transfer and the investigations

Following the attack, the authorities ordered a mass transfer of inmates from the High Security section, moving about fifty prisoners to other Italian detention facilities. The investigation, conducted by the Penitentiary Police and coordinated by the deputy prosecutor Luigi Iglio, led to the identification of the eleven responsible. Among them stands out Raphael Zone, 30 years old, from Campobasso, believed to be one of the leaders of the group that orchestrated the attack.

During the searches, crucial evidence was seized, including shoes, overalls and neck warmers, which could contain traces of the victim's DNA. The eleven inmates are accused of attempted murder and resisting a public official, since the prison officers were neutralized to allow the raid to be carried out.

The names of those arrested

Here is the complete list of the eleven inmates affected by the precautionary measures:

1. Crisci Saturday Francis, 20 years old, from Avellino
2. Osemwegie Nelly, 36 years old, from Nigeria
3. Valentine's Day Taralli, 31 years old, from Naples
4. Raphael area, 30 years old, from Campobasso
5. Paudice Agrippinus, 26 years old, from Naples
6. John Capone, 27 years old, from Naples
7. Gallo Luigi, 42 years old, from Sarno (SA)
8. Blessed Luciano, 40 years old, from Salerno
9. Flammia Giovanni, 38 years old, from Naples
10. Milo Pasqualino, 42 years old, from Cercola (NA)
11. Pisapia Vincenzo, 28 years old, from Avellino

A prison system under pressure

The episode has put the spotlight back on intramural crime, an increasingly worrying phenomenon in Italian penitentiaries. Drug and cell phone trafficking, in fact, represents an extremely profitable business, with prices that skyrocket behind bars. The Avellino affair demonstrates how the fight for control of these illicit activities can lead to extreme violence, putting not only inmates but also prison staff at risk.

The investigating office led by Dominic Airoma and the Section specialized in intramural crime are working to reconstruct the entire dynamics of the attack and to identify any connections with other episodes of violence inside the prison. In the meantime, Paolo Piccolo's situation remains dramatic, while justice is trying to shed light on one of the darkest pages of recent prison news.