Amidst a backdrop of lockdown conditions, a federal investigation, and a series of inmate deaths, the warden of the embattled Waupun Correctional Institution in Wisconsin, Randall Hepp, has tendered his resignation.
The news was first reported by the Wisconsin State Journal, which obtained an email Hepp sent to the prison staff.
In the email, Hepp expressed that his decision to step down was not an easy one, but he believes it will be beneficial for the institution. He also noted that the prison has made strides towards enhancing safety.
Despite attempts to reach out to the state Department of Corrections media officials and Gov. Tony Evers' spokesperson, Britt Cudaback, for comments, no immediate response was received.
Brad Mlodzik, the former deputy warden at Waupun, is set to assume the role of warden on June 30, as reported by the State Journal.
The state Department of Corrections was compelled to enforce a lockdown at Waupun, along with prisons in Green Bay and Stanley, due to a persistent shortage of guards. Inmates at Waupun filed a federal lawsuit in October, alleging that the conditions constituted cruel and unusual punishment. The lawsuit is still pending. Stanley resumed normal operations in late November, and while movement restrictions at Waupun and Green Bay have been eased, some remain in effect.
In March, Cudaback disclosed that federal authorities were investigating a suspected smuggling ring involving Waupun Correctional employees. She revealed that multiple sweeps of the prison had uncovered prohibited items such as cellphones and illegal drugs. Since May 2023, at least 11 prison employees have been suspended in relation to the investigation.
Since June 2023, four inmates have died at Waupun. One committed suicide in solitary confinement, another died from a fentanyl overdose, and a third from a stroke. The fourth inmate was found dead at the facility in February, and his death is still under investigation. The daughter of the inmate who committed suicide has filed a federal lawsuit, alleging that Waupun officials failed to provide adequate mental health care and medication.
Hepp assumed the role of warden at Waupun in May 2020, after beginning his career in the state prison system in 1984 as a guard at Dodge Correctional Institution.
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