Judge dismisses charges in Waupun inmate death case

After three days of witness testimony, a judge dismissed charges against a former nurse at Waupun Correctional Institution accused of abuse of a resident who died of a rare stroke in October 2023 after expressing to staff for days that he felt ill.

The court trial for Gwendolyn Vick, 53, of Burnett, started May 11, and concluded May 13, when Dodge County Circuit Court Judge Brian Pfitzinger dismissed both charges against Vick: a felony count of abuse of residents of penal facilities, and a misdemeanor count of violating the laws of a state institution.

Unlike a jury trial, where evidence is presented to a jury, a court trial involves evidence presented to a judge, who decides on the case.

Vick is one of three Waupun staffers who were criminally charged in connection with the death of 24-year-old Cameron Williams – and one of nine prison staff members arrested in June 2024 in connection with deaths at the maximum-security prison.

On the morning of Oct. 30, 2024, Waupun Correctional Institution staff found Williams dead in his cell in the prison’s restrictive housing unit. An investigation by the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office found that multiple staff members were aware Williams was feeling unwell and had appeared unresponsive the previous night. But no one entered his cell for a wellness check.

At trial, Dodge County District Attorney Andrea Will and Assistant District Attorney Melissa Zilavy argued that Vick knowingly neglected Williams, which ultimately led to his death.

Vick’s defense attorney, Jacqueline Wolter, argued that neither charge against Vick could be proven. Vick didn’t act neglectfully toward Williams and didn’t violate her duties as a prison nurse, Wolter said.

According to a criminal complaint for Williams’ death, Vick was informed at the start of her shift Oct. 29, 2023 – around 5:30 p.m. – by the previous on-duty nurse that Williams wasn’t responding to security staff trying to speak with him at his cell door. That nurse had spoken with the correctional sergeant on duty in the restrictive housing unit, Tanner Leopold, and the two determined that a cell entry should be conducted to do a wellness check on Williams.

Vick then spoke to Leopold at the start of her shift and suggested they wait longer to conduct a cell entry because Williams had a history of lying on the floor and refusing to get up, the complaint said.

No cell entry was conducted until Williams was found dead in his cell the next morning.

In addition to Vick, Leopold and Brandon Fisher, a correctional lieutenant, were also charged in connection with Williams’ death.

Four months after Williams’ death, another prisoner, 62-year-old Donald Maier, died in his restrictive housing unit cell at the prison. The Dodge County medical examiner ruled Maier’s death was a homicide, caused by dehydration and probable malnutrition.

An investigation by the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office found staff had intermittently turned off Maier’s water access without properly documenting when, and didn’t document when Maier missed meals.

Five staff members were criminally charged in connection with Maier’s death.

Besides Vick, four former Waupun Correctional Institution staff members have ongoing criminal cases

Since the nine former staffers were criminally charged in June 2024, seven have had their cases concluded.

Two former staffers, Jeramie Chalker and Alexander Hollfelder, had their cases dismissed. Four others pleaded to lesser misdemeanor charges:

• Sarah Ransbottom, a former correctional sergeant, pleaded no contest in September 2024 to a misdemeanor charge of violating the laws of a state institution, for signing off her name, or allowing her name to be signed off, as completing two cell-check rounds that she didn’t complete, on the unit where Maier was housed before his death. Ransbottom was ordered to pay a $250 fine.
• Randall Hepp, the former warden of Waupun Correctional Institution, pleaded no contest in April 2025 to a misdemeanor charge of violating the laws of a state institution in connection with Maier’s death. A judge said that, under Hepp’s leadership, Waupun Correctional Institution staff failed to follow policies and procedures related to missed meals, water restrictions, medication refusals and round checks. Hepp was fined $500, as a result of a conviction that the judge said was “to some extent … symbolic.”
• Fisher pleaded no contest in February to two misdemeanor counts of violating the laws of a state institution – one in connection with Williams’ death and one in connection with Maier’s death. He has a sentencing hearing at 10 a.m. May 29.
• Jamall Russell, a former correctional officer, pleaded no contest in March to three misdemeanor counts of violating the laws of a state institution. He was accused of not providing food or medications to Maier for multiple days before his death and not properly following the prison’s policy for documenting a hunger strike. He has a conference June 22 to schedule a sentencing hearing.

Two former staffers have ongoing cases, still charged with the original felony counts against them:

• Leopold is charged with abuse of residents of penal facilities and is accused of not ensuring someone conducted a cell entry on Williams after he and two other staff members discussed welfare concerns. He has a scheduling conference May 28.

Jessica Hosfelt, a former correctional nurse, is charged with abuse of residents of penal facilities in connection with Maier’s death. She is accused of not following the prison’s policy for a hunger strike, despite being made aware Maier went days without eating, and not ensuring a cell entry was conducted to check on Maier’s well-being after she was told he may have had a seizure. She doesn’t have any hearings scheduled as of May 14, according to court records.