THOMSON, Ill. — The union that represents the staff of the United States Penitentiary Thomson says it's "sounding the alarm" after it says the prison's management failed to tell staff and inmates that they may have been exposed to fentanyl.
AFGE Local 4070's release from Friday says an inmate tested positive twice for the synthetic opioid in the last six days, however, no action has been taken by Warden Thomas Bergami to protect staff and inmates from exposure.
“We are demanding that the director of the Bureau of Prisons take action and fix the culture of failed leadership at USP Thomson,” AFGE Local 4070 President Jon Zumkehr said in the release sent on Friday.
Local 4070 also sent News 8 a letter from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration that outlines the alleged hazard. The OSHA letter urges the prison to take "immediately investigate the alleged conditions and make any necessary corrections or modifications."
The prison is expected to send the results of its investigation to OSHA no later than June 8, or next Thursday. If they do not get a response from the prison by then, OSHA will do its own inspection.
News 8 has reached out to the prison and the Bureau of Prisons for comment.
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