SALISBURY, Md. – A Salisbury man has been convicted of assault and other charges.

38-year-old Jose Gonzalez-Ruperto was convicted on Tuesday of first and second degree assault, second degree assault of a D.O.C. inmate, and reckless endangerment.

In July 2021, Gonzalez-Ruperto was incarcerated at the Wicomico County Detention Center when he and another inmate got into a physical altercation. Gonzalez-Ruperto punched the unresponsive inmate on the ground 26 times in the head before grabbing a wooden push broom and hitting the inmate two more times. Gonzalez-Ruperto continued violently assaulting the inmate until Correction Officers were able to safely enter the area.

The inmate was taken to TidalHealth where he received treatment for multiple injuries.

Sentencing was postponed pending a pre-sentence investigation.