Management & Training Corporation (MTC)

Rap Sheet

MTC’s Deadly Escapes From Kingman

• In late July 2010 three prisoners were able to get past locked doors, avoid surveillance cameras, deter ground and fence sensors, and went unnoticed by guard towers and ground patrol while they cut a hole in some perimeter fencing. This may be in part because reports show that guards had learned to ignore alarms because the system was so faulty and false alarms so common. (“Prison chief says that sate didn’t detect prison flaws,” Arizona Republic, 8/19/10).
• After the MTC employees noticed the missing inmates during a headcount they sounded the alarm but it took them over an hour to notify the Mohave County Sherriff’s Office that these dangerous men were at large and the public was not notified until the next day. (“Arizona cons’ escape raises many questions,” Arizona Republic, 8/3/10).
• Casslyn Welch, the cousin and finance of one of the inmates, was able to assist the three men in their escape by tossing wire cutters over the perimeter fence. Welch had previously been detained for smuggling heroin into the prison, she admitted to smuggling on three prior occasions. Welch was not arrested on these chargers because she had agreed to act as an informant. (“Fugitives accomplice was an informant before escape,” AP, 8/13/10).
• Following their escape the inmates kidnapped two semi-truck drivers at gunpoint and used the truck to drive towards Flagstaff. (“Arizona murder convict fired on Rifle police before arrest,” AP, 8/2/10).
• The first inmate to be captured by police was serving time in MTC’s Arizona State Prison for second degree murder. He was caught in Colorado after he first fired a gunshot at an officer’s patrol car. (“Arizona murder convict fired on Rifle police before arrest,” AP, 8/2/10).
• A 61 year old couple from Oklahoma who were found dead and badly burned in their camper in New Mexico are thought to have been murdered by two of the fugitives from MTC’s prison while on the run from police. (“Arizona prison escapees links to N.M. killings,” AP, 8/7/10).

MTC’S  Texas Messes

• Four employees at MTC’s Willacy County Detention Center are accused of using a company van to illegally transport immigrants from Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador. They are accused of harboring and smuggling at least 28 people.  (“Smuggling suspects to appear before federal judge Friday,” Valley Morning Star, 11/14/07).
• Two men from MTC’s Kyle Correctional Center in Hays County, Texas escaped over a wall in the recreation yard. They were later found walking three miles east of the facility. (“Two escaped Kyle prisoners captured,” American Statesman, 3/16/08).
• An employee at MTC’s Willacy County Detention Center was found to have stolen property from a detainee at the facility. (“Investigating Allegations against Guard,” News Channel 5, 4/9/08).
• A prison guard at the Willacy County Detention Center was arrested for possession of 28 grams of cocaine with intent to distribute. The guard had been smuggling narcotics into the facility in exchange for money or other drugs. (“Investigation of narcotics trafficking, contraband, leads to arrest of guard,” Brownsville Herald, 2/4/09).
• Residents near the Kyle Correctional Center had been assured by representatives of MTC that the facility would only house those in drug treatment programs. Due to vacancies in these programs (and a cut in profits for MTC) the corporation decided to trade these inmates for other ‘low-security’ offenders. (“Kyle prison to halt drug-treatment programs,” American Statesman, 3/20/10).
• A Jamaican man who was detained in New York and diagnosed with bipolar disorder was sent to the Willacy County Detention Center in Texas. In the detention center he was given new drugs at a dramatically higher dose. The man was so highly over-medicated that he fell from his bunk, injuring his face and eyes and leaving him unconscious for 19 hours. (“Detaining care part three: Andre’s story,” Texas Tribune, 11/18/09).
• MTC left a Texas county high and dry when they pulled out of the contract to run a juvenile facility because they were not making enough money.  The county lost $837,000 in just a few months after taking over the facility.  In addition, the county took a hit on its credit rating.  County Commissioner Charles Baskett complained, “had we terminated our lease and not attempted to operate, both Standard and Poor and Moody threatened to lower our bond rating to BBB…They (County Commissioners Board) said they were worried about losing our bond rating, and that’s why we should continue to operate the facility.  We lost it (bond rating) anyway.”  (“Defunct juvenile jail draws debate,” Hood County News, 2/1/06).

What a Riot!

• 15 inmates at MTC’s Lake Erie Correctional Institution were moved to solitary confinement units after a fight broke out in one of the housing units. One inmate was injured and taken to the hospital. (“Prison, OHP continue to investigate big fight,” Star Beacon, 8/27/10).
• As many as 150 inmates were involved in a brawl at the Marana Community Correctional Treatment Facility. The fight lasted about an hour before a 20 member tactical unit helped to break it up. 12 inmates and an MTC employee were injured. (“Arizona prison brawl involved up to 150 inmates, leaves 13 people hurt,” AP, 2/11/10).
• Seven inmates were injured and taken to the hospital from the Arizona State Prison in Kingman during a fight that lasted for 45 minutes. The fight was thought to have been race related. (“Seven injured in fight, none serious,” Kingman Daily Miner, 6/2/10).

American Friends Service Committee

103 N Park, Suite 111, Tucson, AZ 85719

Phone:  (520) 623-9141

Fax:  (520)623-5901

afscaz@afsc.org

afsc.org/tucson