The Associated Press reports, and jail records confirmed by WISN 12 News show Waupun Warden Randall Hepp was booked into the Dodge County Jail Wednesday morning.
Warden of embattled Waupun prison, eight others, charged
The Associated Press reports, and jail records confirmed by WISN 12 News show Waupun Warden Randall Hepp was booked into the Dodge County Jail Wednesday morning.
ALL RIGHT MARK, THANK YOU. NOW TO BOMBSHELL ALLEGATIONS AGAINST A PRISON WARDEN IN WISCONSIN. AND EIGHT WORKERS THERE FACING CRIMINAL CHARGES IN CONNECTION WITH TWO DEATHS AT WEAPON CORRECTIONAL, WHICH IS A MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON IN DODGE COUNTY. PRISON WARDEN RANDALL HEPPE IS AMONG THOSE CHARGED. INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER JAMES STRATTON HAS BEEN REPORTING ON THE DEATHS AT WEAPON FOR MONTHS, AND NOW CRIMINAL CHARGES. AS. TONIGHT, CHARGES IN A SWEEPING INVESTIGATION INVOLVING DEATHS AT WEAPONS PRISON WARDEN RANDALL HEPPE AND EIGHT OTHERS CHARGED WITH FELONIES IN THE DEATH OF TWO OF FOUR INMATES WHO DIED IN THE LAST YEAR. THE FIRST 24 YEAR OLD CAMERON WILLIAMS, DIED OF A STROKE IN LATE OCTOBER. THE INVESTIGATION SHOWS HE WAS STUMBLING, DISORIENTED AND TOLD STAFF THREE DAYS EARLIER HE NEEDED TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE DECEDENT PASSED AWAY FOLLOWING THIS TIME PERIOD, AND LIKELY WAS IN DIRE MEDICAL DISTRESS WHEN THE INCOMING NURSE DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS NO MEDICAL NEED TO MAKE ENTRY, 62 YEAR OLD DONALD MEYER DIED OF DEHYDRATION AND MALNUTRITION IN FEBRUARY. SHERIFF SCHMIDT SAYS STAFF FAILED TO GIVE HIM NINE MEALS IN FOUR DAYS AND SHUT OFF WATER TO HIS CELL. SECURITY STAFF NOTIFIED NURSING STAFF THAT THE DECEDENT HAD NOT EATEN FOOD FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS, WAS DRINKING SEWAGE WATER AND PLAYED IN THE TOILET. WHILE SHERIFF SCHMIDT WAS RELEASING HIS FINDINGS IN THE INVESTIGATION AT THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE, ALL NINE PRISON WORKERS WERE SEEING THEIR FIRST APPEARANCE IN DODGE COUNTY COURT. ONE OF THEM, NURSE GWENDOLYN VICK, CHARGED WITH ABUSE IN 24 YEAR OLD WILLIAMS DEATH. BELIEVE ME, THE LAST THING IN THE WORLD SHE WANTED WAS FOR THIS YOUNG MAN TO SUFFER. AND IF SHE HAD THOUGHT THAT THERE WAS ANYTHING SHE COULD HAVE DONE TO AVOID IT, SHE WOULD HAVE DONE IT ON TOP OF NURSE, VICK ALSO CHARGED NURSE JESSICA HOSSFELD AND CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS BRANDON FISCHER, TANNER LEOPOLD, JAMAL RUSSELL, ALEXANDER HOLFELDER, JESSICA HOSSFELD AND SARAH RANSBOTTOM. JEREMY CHALKER AND WARDEN RANDALL HEPP. THIS INVESTIGATION, ON TOP OF ANOTHER INTERNAL AND FEDERAL INVESTIGATION INTO DRUG AND CELL PHONE SMUGGLING INSIDE THE PRISON THAT IS COMPLETELY SEPARATE OF THESE CHARGES RELATING TO DEATHS INSIDE IN DODGE COUNTY, JAMES STRATTON, WISN 12 NEWS. SHERIFF SCHMIDT CALLED FOR REFORM FOR BOTH WEAPON AND GREEN BAY CORRECTIONAL CENTERS. THAT INCLUDES EITHER RENOVATING THEM OR TEARING THEM DOWN TO BUILD NEW. HE ALSO CALLED F
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Warden of embattled Waupun prison, eight others, charged
The Associated Press reports, and jail records confirmed by WISN 12 News show Waupun Warden Randall Hepp was booked into the Dodge County Jail Wednesday morning.
Reporter
The leader of an embattled Wisconsin prison was in a jail cell himself hours before a scheduled news conference where officials planned to discuss findings of an investigation into deaths at his facility. Waupun Warden Randall Hepp was booked into the Dodge County Jail Wednesday morning, charged with misconduct in public officer. Eight other workers, including nurses and corrections workers, were also charged. The sheriff's office ordered them to turn themselves in Wednesday morning, all did.Sheriff Dale Schmidt and the Dodge County Sheriff's Office has been investigating four deaths at Waupun Correctional Institution, all while the prison was on lockdown. The charges Wednesday stem from two of those deaths. Nurse Gwendolyn Vick, Correctional Lt. Brandon Fisher, Correctional Sergeant Tanner Leopold are all charged with abuse of residents of penal facilities in the death of Cameron Williams in October. Williams died of a stroke. His mother has also filed a civil lawsuit against the prison, and Department of Corrections' leaders.Nurse Jessica Hosfelt, Correctional Officer Jamall Russell, Correctional Sergeant Alexander Hollfelder, Correctional Lt. Brandon Fisher, are charged with abuse of residents of penal facilities in the death of Donald Maier. Sheriff Schmidt's investigation shows Maier died of dehydration and malnutrition, his death was ruled a homicide.Correctional Officer Sarah Ransbottom, Correctional Officer Jamall Russell, Correctional Sergeant Jeramie Chalker and Warden Randall Hepp are all charged with misconduct in public office in Maier's death.Hepp announced his retirement in a letter to staff last week. Four inmates have died at Waupun since June 2023. Waupun is at the center of multiple lawsuits regarding the deaths and a class action suit alleging inmates did not receive proper medical care.
WAUPUN, Wis. —
The leader of an embattled Wisconsin prison was in a jail cell himself hours before a scheduled news conference where officials planned to discuss findings of an investigation into deaths at his facility.
Waupun Warden Randall Hepp was booked into the Dodge County Jail Wednesday morning, charged with misconduct in public officer. Eight other workers, including nurses and corrections workers, were also charged. The sheriff's office ordered them to turn themselves in Wednesday morning, all did.
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Sheriff Dale Schmidt and the Dodge County Sheriff's Office has been investigating four deaths at Waupun Correctional Institution, all while the prison was on lockdown. The charges Wednesday stem from two of those deaths.
Nurse Gwendolyn Vick, Correctional Lt. Brandon Fisher, Correctional Sergeant Tanner Leopold are all charged with abuse of residents of penal facilities in the death of Cameron Williams in October. Williams died of a stroke. His mother has also filed a civil lawsuit against the prison, and Department of Corrections' leaders.
Nurse Jessica Hosfelt, Correctional Officer Jamall Russell, Correctional Sergeant Alexander Hollfelder, Correctional Lt. Brandon Fisher, are charged with abuse of residents of penal facilities in the death of Donald Maier. Sheriff Schmidt's investigation shows Maier died of dehydration and malnutrition, his death was ruled a homicide.
Correctional Officer Sarah Ransbottom, Correctional Officer Jamall Russell, Correctional Sergeant Jeramie Chalker and Warden Randall Hepp are all charged with misconduct in public office in Maier's death.
Hepp announced his retirement in a letter to staff last week.
Four inmates have died at Waupun since June 2023.
Waupun is at the center of multiple lawsuits regarding the deaths and a class action suit alleging inmates did not receive proper medical care.
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