Santa Maria Times
Thursday, March 25, 2004
Last modified Thursday, March 25, 2004 12:57 AM PST





Acting warden takes helm of Lompoc prison

By Mark Abramson/Staff Writer

LOMPOC - Al Herrera, the embattled warden of the U.S. Penitentiary in Lompoc, reportedly was asked to leave the prison grounds and his job has been filled - at least temporarily - by a veteran Bureau of Prisons administrator.

Joyce Conley took over as acting warden Tuesday. According to the Bureau of Prisons, Conley has been with that agency since 1989. Her experience includes serving as the warden at the Federal Correctional Institution at Beckley, W. Va., and as an associate warden at the U.S. Penitentiary in Terre Haute, Ind.

Bureau officials in Washington said Herrera, who last week announced his plans to retire at the end of May, went on leave Tuesday. They would not say why he is on leave.

"Mr. Herrera is not being replaced, he is the warden at that facility," said BOP spokesman Dan Dunne. "(Conley) is serving as the acting warden during his absence and will continue to carry out the duties of the warden until there is no further need for her to do that."

Frank Campo, the president of the officers' union, the American Federation of Government Employees Local 3048, said he heard from one of his sources that Herrera was escorted out of the prison.

Union representatives and officials with their law firm, the Administrative Law Group of Ontario, said that although they don't have a clear picture of what happened, they are happy about the situation.

"We have not heard why he was removed, we only heard that the internal affairs had gone in and talked to him and he was pretty much escorted out," said Bill Friedrich, an investigator with the Administrative Law Group. "I'm delighted. I think there are a number of people who have seen Herrera in his finest and worst hour, which is probably at the same time."

Herrera's leave comes amid allegations that the prison was unsafe to work in under his watch; he used government funds to spruce up his federal residence and for personal use; he showed preferential treatment towards Hispanic inmates and subordinates; he was lax on disciplining inmates; he obstructed an FBI investigation into a June 1, 2003 riot; and he stole items from a Lompoc hotel.

As proof that the prison working conditions had become dangerous, corrections officers point to a Oct. 15, 2003, attack that left three officers injured and a June riot in which 40 Hispanic inmates took over a cell house.

There was also a rash of stabbings between inmates in late January that caused minor injuries.

* Staff writer Mark Abramson can be reached at 736-2313, Ext. 126, or by e-mail at mabramson@lompocrecord.com.

March 25, 2004

There are so many things that go on inside a US Penitentary. Look at the people that are in there, they are not lady bugs. Even if the Warden didn't commit infractions of his duties, I would imangine that sooner or later, most Wardens come under investigations for one thing or another.

jd

Have you ever worked for a USP? If so, I'd like to know for you...what was the strong differences in the way things happen. For me, I know most of the violence I have heard of comes from the USP's. While I understand you'll have longer term prisoners and more violent ones housed there, are there other reasons why the violence would be more severe or more often in this level.

And also....does anyone here have a loved "currently" in USP Lompoc?

Diane

There are so many things that go on inside a US Penitentary. Look at the people that are in there, they are not lady bugs. Even if the Warden didn't commit infractions of his duties, I would imangine that sooner or later, most Wardens come under investigations for one thing or another.
Wardens usually investigate other people, not the other way around. This guy is a real loser. He's had that penitentiary in an uproar for about a year now. The Bureau of Prisons is full of powerhungry individuals who think that they are untouchable. Those people, as managers, are usually found in lower security institutions and administrative offices. When one is occassionally allowed to run a high security penitentiary like Lompoc, he or she typically wrecks it and is replaced as soon as better people figure out what's really going on. Usually, the union is the one to call attention to it as was the case here.

This guy, by his favoritism to particular inmates, encouraged the mindset among the California Mexican Mafia, that they could get away with certain things. Then, last July, with that mindset and emboldened by homemade alcohol, they took over a cellblock and injured several staff and other inmates not of their gang before order could be restored.

As a result the institution was locked down. When Herrerra finally began to release inmates from their cells he only released hispanic and white inmates. Blacks were kept locked down. It's not rocketscience. The resentment towards staff and the favored inmates caused by his inequitable treatment created a very dangerous situation for everyone there.

In addition, when people began writing their congressmen and senators, and the union complained to the agency and the media, Herrerra retaliated by targeting union officials and leaders for disciplinary action for bogus violations. In addition, he spent over $3000 to put a new plasma television in the Warden's Conference Room!;)

Listen, I am not saying that the guy was no good. I have heard stories of him also. Remember, I work for the BOP so the stuff gets around. What I was trying to say is that be it this Warden or the next, sooner or later the are going to be investigated. Yes, the Warden does the investigations concerning the institutions concerns. However, the Officer of the Inspector General investigates the Wardens. Any time an inmate makes a complaint, valid or not, he/she gets investigated. About being power hungy, you are going to find that at any institution. It is a shame but is does happen. Don't generalize with the BOP only. There are a lot of good people here who actuall cage about their job and the inmates that they supervise.