Judge rules against women’s prison

Wednesday, Oct. 13, 1999 | noon

District Judge Mike Fondi affirmed the 1998 findings of state Hearing Officer David Kladney, who overturned the demotion of Sgt. Mel Vandebrake. Instead Kladney suggested Vandebrake get a 30-day suspension.

Vandebrake was demoted after he spread stories about Associate Warden of Operations Janice Benzler at the Nevada Women's Prison in Carson City in the mid-1990s. She was living with a man who had served prison time for a felony crime. When Benzler found out the man was a former convict, she reported it to Assistant Prison Director Carl Sannicks, who allowed it to continue.

The live-in relationship with Brian Fedoryk lasted another year before Benzler broke it off.

The prison sought to demote Vandebrake on grounds his relaying of stories about Benzler posed a threat to the security of the prison - a charge that was rejected by Kladney.

The decision by Kladney was highly critical of the past administration, saying the women's prison was near collapse. Kladney said testimony at a hearing revealed that some staffers had dealt drugs, that there was favoritism among staff and that sexual relations were allowed between inmates.

Kladney added that when the administration changed, things improved.

Prison officials denied the allegations and sought to have part of Kladney's order erased and the demotion of Vandebrake upheld.