Pubdate: Wed, 22 Oct 2003
Source: Citizens' Voice, The (Wilkes-Barre, PA)
Copyright: 2003 The Citizens' Voice
Contact:  http://www.citizensvoice.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1334
Author: Edward Lewis
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/prison.htm (Incarceration)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/corrupt.htm (Corruption - United States)

2 GUARDS BLAME SUSPENSIONS ON WHISTLE-BLOWING ACTIVITIES

Two lieutenants who publicly spoke out about alleged drug smuggling,
drug use and inept management at the Luzerne County Correctional
Facility were suspended indefinitely with pay Monday night.

Lieutenants John Barry and Genny Butczynski said despite their
suspensions, they've heard from other prison officials that they might
be fired by the end of the week. "I'm not surprised," Lt. Barry said
of the suspensions. "The public has a right to know what's going on so
they want to get rid of us."

Lt. Barry, a 16-year employee, and Lt. Butczynski, a 21-year employee,
last week openly criticized LCCF Warden Gene Fischi and the prison's
two deputies, Benjamin Grevera and Rowland Roberts, for not acting
upon numerous documented reports about inmate drug use.

In one of those reports, Roberts told another lieutenant to flush two
or three bags of marijuana down a toilet. No action or investigation
was taken, it is claimed. Two days after the lieutenants revealed the
drug problem and made allegations of permissive prison management,
three prison guards and two inmates were arrested on drug-related offenses.

The drug arrests came shortly after the Oct. 10 escape by accused
double murderer Hugo Marcus Selenski and Scott Bolton, who was jailed
on allegations of stealing numerous ATVs. Bolton was not successful in
the escape and fell 40 feet onto a roof of a lower building, where he
was found critically injured. Selenski fled but surrendered three days
later.

Fischi has said that he would not resign, and that he and the prison
board took "full responsibility" for the escape.

Commissioner Stephen Urban has called for Fischi's
resignation.

Three of the four prison guards on duty the night of the escape,
Justin Chinshiva, David Steever and Al Brzezinski, were suspended
without pay. The fourth guard, Mike Chudoba, was cleared of any wrongdoing.

The four guards were working in the maximum security level on the
seventh floor from where Selenski and Bolton escaped.

Lt. Barry was in charge of the facility the night of the escape, and
heard a loud "thump" on the roof, apparently when Bolton fell.

Luzerne County District Attorney David W. Lupas and the county prison
board requested a review and an investigation of LCCF and its
operations. Despite LCCF being scrutinized, Lt. Barry and Lt.
Butczynski said they feel they are being "railroaded" at the hands of
others.

"It just seems odd," Lt. Barry said. "Their dirty little
secrets."

On the same day when Lt. Barry and Lt. Butczynski openly criticized
LCCF's management, Fischi issued an administrative directive for LCCF
employees not to talk to the press concerning "confidential
information within this facility that will hinder any and all
investigations by the state police, district attorney's office as well
as this administration.

"This is a breach of security and will not be tolerated. Anyone who
breaks this breach will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the
law," Fischi wrote. LCCF employees also had to sign their name
promising they wouldn't talk to the press.

Lt. Butczynski said that when she arrived for her shift at 9:30 p.m.,
she was summoned to a meeting with Fischi and Grevera.

"They had a tape recorder; they asked if I could be taped, I told them
no," Lt. Butczynski said. "I told them I'm not going to talk without
an attorney or without union representation.

"They gave no reason at all," Lt. Butczynski added. "All they said was
they were doing an internal investigation."

The two lieutenants are represented by Attorney Pete Loftus in
Scranton, who could not be reached for comment.

Lt. Butczynski said that Fischi asked for her keys and badge and that
she was escorted from the facility.

While waiting outside for Lt. Barry to arrive for his shift, she was
told to "get off the property."

County Solicitor James Blaum, in a message he left on a reporter's
voice mail, said he had recused himself from the issue. He referred
calls to assistant county Solicitor Michael R. Kostelansky.

Kostelansky said he had no comment on the suspensions.

Fischi, Roberts, and Grevera did not return messages seeking comment
Tuesday afternoon.

"We're definitely being targeted because we're talking to the public,"
Lt. Barry said. "We're talking about their dirty little secrets."
- ---
MAP posted-by: Richard Lake