State Correctional Institution Fayette - Federal

The cost of living has really gone up everywhere, and this also includes in the prisons. With the cost of living the way it is due to inflation, I fail to comprehend why the pays for prisoners never go up to make it easier for us to afford the higher costs to survive? I know that out in society whenever the cost of living goes up due to inflation so does our income and of course I am referring to low-income people – people on Social Security Income (SSI) or Social Security(SS) or struggling on Welfare.

Well in prisons we don’t make anywhere near what is made on SSI or SS or even Welfare for that matter. In Pennsylvania prisons we cannot make more than 42 cents an hour depending on your job. Blockworks are not to make more than 25 cents an hour, but I make 38 cents an hour because it was supposed to carry over from my previous location at SCI Fayette. Although I had to fight to make sure I kept 38 cents because they tried to start me over at GLJ and then at 19 cents an hour again. I was not having it. I was not going to let them screw me over like that. Bad enough I had to put up with sexual harassment at SCI Fayette.

Now C.I. workers can make up to 51 cents an hour but still since the prices of commissary has gone up due to inflation I think that all prisoners with jobs should be given pay rate rises to help with the new higher costs of living in the prison population. It is much harder to keep up with the financial strain. I have been poor all my life so I am used to having to live/fight with my money but not everyone is able to a adjust in such a manner every time the cost of living goes through the ceiling. But even with that said, I have always been able to adjust because with the rise in the cost of living I always had a slight raise in my monthly income to meet the adjustment of the rise in living cost every year but in prison the cost of living goes up but our pay rates never do.

I want to speak on what has been going on with me since I’ve been in this RHU. I came to the RHU on 12 November 2019 for an assault on another prisoner. Specifically I punched someone ONE time and broke my hand to the point of it requiring surgery. I had surgery on 26 November 2019 and had 3 temporary pins put in that were supposed to remain in for 3-4 weeks. (*Note: I STILL as of today have NOT been taken back to the hospital to have them removed. It’s going on 7-8 weeks) Three days later on 29 November 2019 as I was being escorted to the shower in handcuffs, I got into a verbal disagreement with 2 C.O.s (Tyne & Emminger) about an approved plastic bag I was supposed to get to cover my bandaged hand so I could shower. They were FALSELY claiming that it was NOT approved (this was later proven to be INCORRECT). But when I disputed this, C.O. Emminger proceeded to violently yank on the handcuff “tether” & twist & pull on my handcuffs to intentionally injure me. He said, “Oh you wanna argue? Now you don’t get shit.” And he proceeded to physically force me back into my cell.

I was prohibited from speaking to any medical staff about this & ended up receiving a COMPLETELY BOGUS & fabricated misconduct (write-up) claiming I threatened them, used “abusive” language & refused a direct order. When I went to my hearing I requested the camera footage & also requested to call 3 witnesses who would’ve refuted the false allegations. I was told that the video footage was “unavailable” and my witnesses were NOT called with the hearing examiner stating that they were “Not Needed” to determine guilt or innocence. Long story short, I was found guilty & received an additional 30 days of disciplinary time to run concurrent with the 45 I was already serving for assault. I’m currently appealing this decision.

ANOTHER similar incident occurred on 1 December 2019 wherein my cell was being searched in retaliation for myself & several other convicts complaining & putting in grievances about us not being able to exchange our dirty bed linens & towels for OVER TWO MONTHS (only the inmates who complained had their cells “searched”). It wasn’t even a search, they just wanted to tear our cells apart to send a message. During this “search”. I was removed from my cell and placed in cuffs. I noticed C.O.s kick out onto the tier 2 partial “gloves” that were provided to me by the hospital where I had my surgery to wear under a custom brace that was made for my hand to protect it. When I complained and stated what they were for, I was told to “shut the fuck up” & Sergeant Wiles ordered me to be escorted to the “strip cage.” I was taken to the “strip cage” & thrown inside by Sgt. Wiles & 2 other unknown C.O.s. As Sgt. Wiles was removing my cuffs, he aggressively yanked & twisted on the cuffs in an OBVIOUS attempt to injure me. When I yelled out in pain, Sgt. Wiles stated, “tell it to your buddy in there.” Referring to the camera inside of the strip cage.

I’ve since filed numerous grievances regarding these incidents and am at various stages of the appeal processes. My intent is to exhaust the in-house remedies and file a 1983 suit against the DOC & these C.O.s specifically. I’ve also contact numerous politicians & outside groups such as the ACLU, PA institutional Law Project, PA prison society, etc. and am looking for all the help, assistance and/or information I can get with this struggle.

If you can publicize my struggle in U.L.K. or on your website or in ANYWAY possible, I’d GREATLY appreciate it. Feel free to use ANY part of this letter & any & all details. If you can provide ANY info to help me or point me in the direction of anyone who can, PLEASE DO. Again, it will be greatly appreciated.

IN SOLIDARITY