Wisconsin Prison Warden, Eight Staff Members Charged After Inmate Death Investigation

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The warden of a maximum-security Wisconsin prison and eight members of his staff were charged Wednesday following investigations into the deaths of four inmates at the troubled facility over the past year.

Waupun Correctional Institution’s warden, Randall Hepp, is charged with misconduct in public office, Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt, who led the investigations, said at a news conference. The other eight face charges of inmate abuse, which is a felony. All nine had court appearances Wednesday, the sheriff said.

“We are operating the oldest prison in the state of Wisconsin in a dangerous and reckless manner,” Schmidt said, referring to the Waupon facility.

If convicted, Hepp faces up to 3 1/2 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Since last June, four inmates have died at the prison, which is the oldest still operating in Wisconsin. Three of the deaths are subject to federal lawsuits, the state Department of Corrections is investigating the prison’s operations, and the governor last year asked the U.S. Department of Justice to get involved.

Hepp announced last week that he planned to retire at the end of June and that Deputy Warden Brad Mlodzik would take over. He said in an email to Waupun staff that he had helped improve “safety and order” at the prison.

“It is amazing to know how far we have come,” Hepp wrote. “We also know we have more to do.”

The first of the four inmates who died, Dean Hoffman, killed himself in solitary confinement last June. Hoffman’s daughter filed a federal lawsuit in February alleging that prison officials failed to provide her father with adequate mental health care and medications.

Tyshun Lemons and Cameron Williams were both found dead at the facility in October.