By Tracie Sullivan, For Iron County Today
A man with a history of violent offenses is facing new charges after allegedly attacking deputies and damaging jail property just days before sentencing for a similar attack seven months earlier.
Turner Esteban Simons, 18, was charged on Jan. 11, 2025, with damaging jail property, assaulting a deputy, and propelling substances at officers following a disturbance inside the Iron County Jail. The incident marked the second time in less than a year he has been accused of assaulting correctional staff while incarcerated.
According to court documents, deputies at the jail responded to a fire suppression system activation in one of the housing areas. Upon arrival, they discovered a flooded cell occupied solely by Simons and located a makeshift tool made from broken nail clippers, which authorities believe he used to tamper with the sprinkler system.
Simons was then relocated to a booking cell, where he became physically and verbally aggressive toward jail staff, allegedly punching a deputy in the face and spitting on three others. One officer required medical treatment at Cedar City Hospital due to possible exposure to communicable diseases.
Simons now faces one count of damaging a jail facility, one count of assault by a prisoner, both third-degree felonies and three class A misdemeanors for propelling a substance at a correctional officer.
The new charges add to Simons’ record, which includes a lengthy juvenile record and charges filed in July 2024, said Iron County Deputy Attorney Trajan Evans.
July 2024 Assault on Detention Staff
Simons’ first set of adult charges stem from a violent attack on three staff members at the Southwest Utah Youth Center on July 18, 2024 — the day he turned 18. He was still housed at the secure care facility, where he had been placed for offenses committed as a minor.
While his juvenile record is not publicly accessible, Evans confirmed that Simons has a lengthy history of offenses as a minor.
According to court documents, Simons and 20-year-old Daniel Martinez conspired to assault multiple staff members inside the facility. The attack was captured on surveillance footage, and reports indicate that the two punched and kicked three staff members, threw objects at them, and targeted one victim with a kick to the head.
One staff member suffered significant head trauma, while another bled heavily from facial injuries before being transported to the hospital for treatment.
Authorities said Simons and Martinez expressed little concern for the consequences.
“Throughout their interaction with officers, the individuals have made several statements about not caring what happens or what charges they face,” the affidavit states.
Following his arrest, Simons was charged with three counts of assault with substantial bodily injury, class A misdemeanors and three counts of assault by a prisoner, third-degree felonies.
Prison Sentencing and New Jail Incident
On Jan. 21, 2025, Simons was convicted of aggravated assault by a prisoner, a second-degree felony, and assault by a prisoner, a third-degree felony.
He was sentenced to consecutive prison terms of up to 15 years for the aggravated assault charge and up to five years for the second assault charge. The court ordered that his sentences run consecutively to any other cases currently being served. This means Simons must serve each sentence back-to-back rather than at the same time, extending his total time in prison.
Simons has since been transported to the Utah State Prison to begin serving time for the 2024 charges, but he will still face prosecution for the latest offenses committed at the Iron County Jail.