4 charged with starting riot in Platte County, Missouri jail

by: Brian Dulle

Posted: Feb 11, 2022 / 04:35 PM CST

Updated: Feb 11, 2022 / 04:36 PM CST

PLATTE CITY, Mo. — Four men are facing charges for starting a riot and causing damage to property at the Platte County, Missouri jail in December 2021.

The four men charged earlier this month have been identified as 38-year-old Bruce Brandenburg, 42-year-old Christopher Mejia, 38-year-old Joshua Vasquez, and 33-year-old Zachary Mace. All four suspects have been charged with one count of damage to jail property and one count of rioting.

According to court documents, from 5:13 p.m. to 10:18 p.m. on Dec. 20, 2021, approximately 25 inmates in the Platte County jail participated in a declared riot and damaged jail property.

Many of the inmates were "passive participants," sitting in chairs and refusing to lock down as ordered by the jail staff, according to court records.

Other inmates were active participants, barricading doors, flooding the shower room by breaking the fire suppression sprinkler head, dumping water on the floor to make it slippery and dangerous for law enforcement to enter and throwing wet toilet paper at the windows and camera, court records say.

Court documents say the inmates were finally secured in their cells after the Platte and Clay County SWAT teams fired pepperballs, small plastic balls filled with OC powder, fired by a rifle.

Documents say Brandenburg, Mejia, Vasquez and Mace all refused to obey multiple orders to lock down from jail staff, encouraging the rioting to continue.

Brandenburg used used tables and chairs on the slider door in an effort to prevent law enforcement from entering to regain control, according to court records. He was also seen throwing wet toilet paper at the tower observation windows and security camera.

Mejia is seen going into the shower room with a broom and seconds later can be seen exiting the shower room after breaking the fire suppression sprinkler in the shower, court records say. He also allegedly moved items from around the room to barricade the slider door.

A $10,000 cash only bond has been set for Brandenburg. A hearing has been scheduled for March 1, 2022 at 8:30 a.m.

A $25,000 cash only bond has been set for Mejia. A hearing has been scheduled for Feb. 15, 2022 at 9 a.m.

A $20,000 cash only bond has been set for both Vasquez and Mace. No hearings have been scheduled for either at this time, according to court records.

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