A man being held in the Freeborn County jail awaiting to be deported from the country has been charged with assaulting two jailers.

Pouch Philip Ruach, 29, allegedly got into an argument with the Freeborn County sheriff’s deputies after he approached one of them and yelled at him about some items that had been taken from his cell, according to the criminal complaint filed by the Freeborn County Attorney’s Office.

Reports stated Ruach apparently saw the items somewhere else in the jail and grabbed them, but when asked by a deputy to return them, he refused to do so.

Court documents stated Ruach reportedly twice squared off as though he were going to strike the deputy.

As two deputies attempted to handcuff him, they fell to the floor with Ruach, where he allegedly bit the thumbs of both. One of the deputies suffered an ankle injury.

According to reports, the skin of one of the deputies was punctured near the thumb, and both had indentations from Ruach’s teeth.

Each charge of assaulting a jailer carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a $4,00 fine.

Ruach was previously convicted in 2009 of an armed robbery of the Front Street Kwik Trip gas station. The robbery took place on Aug. 21, 2008. According to court documents, he was intoxicated when he threatened employees with a knife and demanded money.

Ruach appeared on the charges Friday in Freeborn County District Court.

His next hearing is slated for June 20.