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Waupon prison warden resigns amid curfew and federal smuggling investigation

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The warden of a troubled Wisconsin prison has resigned amid the curfew, an ongoing federal investigation and the deaths of several inmates.Waupun Correctional Institution warden Randall Hepp announced his resignation Tuesday, the Wisconsin State Journal reported. The newspaper obtained an email Hepp sent to prison staff in which he wrote that his decision was not easy but that he believed it would benefit the institution. He added that the prison was one step closer to improving security.Video above: Inmates sue Waupun and DOC over state prison ‘curfew’State Department of Corrections spokeswoman Beth Hardtke told the Associated Press on Sunday that Hepp had actually announced his retirement, not his resignation. She did not respond to a request for a copy of his Tuesday email. Britt Cudaback, a spokeswoman for Gov. Tony Evers, referred questions to DOC officials. No one immediately responded to an email sent by the Associated Press Sunday morning to media representatives at the state Department of Corrections and Britt Cudaback, a spokeswoman for Gov. Tony Evers, seeking comment. Brad Mlodzik, who previously served as deputy warden in Waupun, will take over as warden there on June 30, the State Journal reported. A chronic shortage of guards forced the state Department of Corrections to impose a curfew in Waupun, as well as at prisons in Green Bay and Stanley. Inmates in Waupun filed a federal court lawsuit in October claiming conditions amounted to cruel and unusual punishment. That lawsuit is pending. Stanley resumed normal operations in late November. Movement restrictions have been eased in Waupun and Green Bay, but some remain in place. According to the Department of Corrections’ last update in April, in-person visits had not yet resumed at Waupun and free time was still limited, but inmates were issued electronic tablets that allow them to make phone calls and send emails and texts. Cudaback, Evers’ spokeswoman, said in March that federal authorities were investigating an apparent smuggling ring involving Waupun Correctional employees. She said at the time that multiple searches of the prison had revealed people obtaining prohibited items such as cell phones and illegal drugs. At least 11 prison employees have been suspended since May 2023 in connection with the investigation. Since June 2023, four inmates have died at Waupun. One committed suicide in solitary confinement, one died of a fentanyl overdose and another died of a stroke. The fourth inmate was found dead at the facility in February. His death remains under investigation. The daughter of the inmate who committed suicide in solitary confinement has filed a lawsuit in federal court accusing Waupun officials of failing to provide him with adequate mental health care and medication. Hepp took over as Waupun prison warden in May 2020. He began his career in the state prison system in 1984 as a guard at Dodge Correctional Institution.

WAUPUN, Wisconsin —

The director of a problem prison in the US state of Wisconsin has resigned in light of curfews, ongoing federal investigations and the deaths of several inmates.

Waupun Correctional Institution Warden Randall Hepp announced his resignation Tuesday, the Wisconsin State Journal reported. The newspaper obtained an email Hepp sent to prison staff in which he wrote that his decision was not easy but that he believes it will benefit the institution. He added that the prison is one step closer to improving security.
Video above: Inmates sue Waupun and DOC over state prison “curfew”

Beth Hardtke, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Corrections, told the Associated Press on Sunday that Hepp actually announced his retirement, not his resignation. She did not respond to a request for a copy of his email on Tuesday. Britt Cudaback, a spokeswoman for Gov. Tony Evers, referred questions to DOC officials.

No one immediately responded to an email seeking comment sent by The Associated Press Sunday morning to media representatives at the state Department of Corrections and to Governor Tony Evers’ spokeswoman Britt Cudaback.

Brad Mlodzik, who previously served as deputy prison warden in Waupun, will take over as prison warden there on June 30, the State Journal reported.

A chronic shortage of guards forced the state Department of Corrections to impose a lockdown in Waupun and at the Green Bay and Stanley prisons.

In October, inmates at Waupun filed a lawsuit in federal court claiming conditions amounted to cruel and unusual punishment. That lawsuit is still pending. Stanley resumed normal operations in late November. Movement restrictions in Waupun and Green Bay have been relaxed, but some remain in place.

According to the Department of Corrections’ most recent update in April, in-person visits had not yet resumed at Waupun and recreational time was still restricted, but inmates were issued electronic tablets that allow them to make phone calls and send emails and text messages.

Cudaback, Evers’ spokesman, said in March that federal authorities were investigating an apparent smuggling ring involving employees at the Waupun Correctional Institution.

She said at the time that several searches of the prison had revealed that people had obtained prohibited items such as cell phones and illegal drugs. At least 11 prison employees have been suspended since May 2023 in connection with the investigation.

Since June 2023, four inmates have died in Waupun. One committed suicide in solitary confinement, one died of a fentanyl overdose, and another died of a stroke.

The fourth inmate was found dead at the facility in February. His death remains under investigation. The daughter of the inmate who killed himself in solitary confinement has filed a lawsuit in federal court alleging Waupun officials failed to provide him with adequate mental health care and medication.

Hepp took over as prison warden in Waupun in May 2020. He began his career in the state prison system in 1984 as a guard at Dodge Correctional Institution.

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