A Wisconsin warden was arrested shortly before a news conference on probes into prison fatalities.
Recently, online jail records showed that Warden Randall Hepp from Waupun Correctional Institution was booked into Dodge County Jail around 8:20 am. The records didn't provide any more information about the reason for his arrest or the possible charges he could be facing. As of mid-morning, online court records didn't show any filed charges against him.
According to State Senator Van Wanggaard, who is the chairman of the Senate committee overseeing prisons, not only Warden Hepp but also a few other people will be arrested and charged with crimes related to their activities at the prison. Wanggaard received this information from the head of the state Department of Corrections on the previous day. He didn't provide any specifics about the number of people who would be charged or the nature of the charges. However, he mentioned that some of them would be felony charges.
Jail Sergeant Chad Riter said that Hepp has met with his attorney, but he didn't reveal the attorney's identity. When a request was made to interview Hepp and learn more about his arrest, Riter did not respond promptly.
Sheriff Dale Schmidt of Dodge County was scheduled to hold a news conference on Wednesday afternoon to share details about the investigations conducted on several inmate deaths at Waupun.
Since June 2023, four inmates have died in the prison. The first one, Dean Hoffman, committed suicide in solitary confinement. In February, Hoffman's daughter filed a federal lawsuit against the state, claiming that the prison officials didn't provide her father with appropriate mental health care and medications.
In October, Tyshun Lemons and Cameron Williams were discovered dead at the facility. Medical Examiner PJ Schoebel stated that Lemons passed away due to acetyl fentanyl overdose and Williams suffered a stroke.
Another inmate, Donald Maier, was found dead at the prison in February. No details about his death have been made public.
Last year, the state Department of Corrections locked down Waupun, along with facilities in Green Bay and Stanley due to a shortage of guards.
In October, inmates of Waupun filed a lawsuit in the federal court, alleging that the conditions were a form of cruel and unusual punishment. This lawsuit is still pending.
The operations at Stanley returned to normal in November. However, at Waupun and Green Bay, the movement restrictions have partly eased. As per the Department of Correction's latest update in April, in-person visitation had not yet resumed at Waupun, and the recreation time was still limited. Prisoners are allowed to make phone calls and text using electronic tablets, though.
Waupun also faces other issues. The office of Governor Tony Evers mentioned in March that federal investigators were examining a suspected smuggling ring involving prison employees.
On May 28, Hepp announced that he intended to retire at the end of June. His Deputy Warden, Brad Mlodzik, is slated to take over.
This story is still developing, and we will continue to update it.
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Warden Hepp's attorney met with him to discuss his ongoing case, as the charging details against him and other prison staff members remain undisclosed. After the news of multiple arrests and potential felony charges, there's increased uncertainty surrounding the future management of Waupun Correctional Institution, with Warden Hepp's retirement approaching.
