Maine State Prison Warden Replaced As Misconduct Allegations Investigated
An investigation into staff misconduct at Maine State Prison (MSP) resulted in replacement of its top leader. New Warden Nathan Thayer began work on May 20, 2024. Meanwhile, state Department of Corrections (DOC) Director Randall Liberty had no update on the months-old investigation, which led him to reassign former Warden Matthew Magnusson in February 2024.
Allegations initially surfaced in August 2023 of harassment, hazing and inappropriate relations between the MSP staff and prisoners. Deputy Director of Operations James Hancox was tapped to serve as interim warden on February 20, 2024, when Liberty placed Magnusson and two guard captains on administrative leave.
The investigation comes on the heels of another DOC scandal. As PLN reported, Gerald E. Merrill, Deputy Superintendent of Mountain View Correctional Facility and Downeast Correctional Facility, was arrested in July 2023 on charges of theft and bribery for allegedly using his state-issued credit card over the course of 10 years to steer purchases to vendors who then returned kickbacks. [See: PLN, Feb. 2024, p.24.]
The state’s largest prison MSP holds up to 1,074 prisoners with 309 staffers. It has an intensive mental health unit and also offers educational programs, mental health treatment, substance use disorder treatment, sexual behavior treatment and domestic violence education. Former prisoner Joseph Jackson, now with the Maine Prisoner Advocacy Coalition, confirmed that a culture of hazing and harassment pervades the lockup. He described a power imbalance that easily leaves prisoners taken advantage of.
Sources: Maine Public Radio, News Center Maine, Portland Press Herald, WGME, WMTW
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