The following clips from the Wyoming Department of Corrections provide perspective on the housing of prisoners at the Haskell, Texas Rolling Plains Prison. As of May 2006, Wyoming housed “162 male inmates and 57 female inmates” at Rolling Plains. Of three prisoners identified for escape or death, one was convicted of aggravated robbery, one of second degree murder, and one was serving life for first degree murder. Friends of the immigrant issue will be interested to see where the timeline begins–with the transfer of Wyoming prisoners out of T. Don Hutto Prison at Taylor, Texas to a private prison in Colorado.–gm
“Approximately 2,100 adult inmates are in the custody of WDOC, though due to a current shortage of housing space, nearly 800 of those inmates are
housed in non-department facilities. These include adult community corrections centers, out-of-state facilities, county jails, as well as a 100-bed
secure treatment facility in Casper. Nearly 5,500 offenders are being supervised in the communities on probation or parole.”
–“STATE OF WYOMING DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS STRATEGIC PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY,” (July 1, 2005).
“Due to lack of room in Wyoming prisons, the WDOC currently houses some inmates out-of-state. Wyoming has 162 male inmates and 57 female inmates at Rolling Plains Regional Jail & Detention Center in Haskell, Texas; 301 male inmates at the Bill Clayton Correctional Facility in Littlefield, Texas; and 16 male inmates in West Texas Detention Center in Sierra Blanca, Texas.”
–“Disturbance Brought Under Control at Bill Clayton Detention Center, Texas,” WDOC Press Release (May 31, 2006).
“According to a spokesperson from the Rolling Plains Regional Jail & Detention Center in Haskell, Texas, Wyoming Inmate Joe Wilkinson gave himself up after about two hours following his escape. Mr. Wilkinson, 41, is serving 6 to 9 years for aggravated robbery, sentenced in Sweetwater County on September 20, 2002.
“Wyoming inmate Robert Dix, 25, serving a 45 year to life sentence for second-degree murder in Natrona County, was arrested at 7:20 pm April 16, by officers of the Stamford Police Department, according to Rolling Plains officials.”
–“Two Wyoming Inmates Arrested Following Escape from Texas Facility,” WDOC Press Release (April 17, 2006).
“Dale Geesaman, a Wyoming inmate at the Rolling Plains Regional Jail & Detention Center in Haskell, Texas, died on Thursday, April 13, 2006. He was serving his Wyoming sentence there due to lack of beds in Wyoming prisons. Mr. Geesaman was pronounced dead at Haskell Memorial Hospital. The cause of the unexpected death will be determined; however, no foul play was involved.
“Mr. Geesaman was convicted of first degree murder. Sentenced February 18, 1982 by Judge Terrence O’Brien in Campbell County, he was originally sentenced to a life sentence. In April 1994, Governor Mike Sullivan commuted the sentence to 90 to 95 years. Mr. Geesaman was born in Missouri on April 10, 1964.”
–“Wyoming Inmate Geesaman Dies in Texas,” WDOC Press Release (April 14, 2006).
“The first group of male inmates was transferred out-of-state in 1997. At that time they were moved to Texas because a closer facility was not available. Upon construction of the Crowley County facility, Wyoming contracted with the county a year ago in November 1998 and was able to move inmates from Texas to Colorado. The original Wyoming count in Colorado was 100.”
–“More Male Inmates Moved Out-of State Due to Overcrowding,” WDOC Press Release (Nov. 23, 1999).
“According to officials at the Wyoming Department of Corrections, the 97 Wyoming inmates housed at T. Don Hutto Correctional Facility in Taylor, Texas were transferred to the privately owned and operated Crowley County Correctional Facility35 miles east of Pueblo, Colorado on Saturday, October 31. The transfer was well within the time frame previously announced by Governor Geringer and Director Judith Uphoff on September 30, 1998. The inmates will be housed at Crowley pursuant to a contract between the DOC and Crowley County, Colorado.”
–“Wyoming Inmates Moved from Texas to Colorado Per Schedule,” WDOC Press Release (Nov. 2, 1998).
Texas Civil Rights Review 