* Some background is here if you need it. Sen. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) was on Will Stephens’ WXAN radio show on Monday and said this about Menard Correctional Center, which is in her district…

Last week, the director [of the Illinois Department of Corrections] went to the facility on Thursday. These are the reports that I’m receiving. When she got there, she brought an entourage with her. They decided to go on to the North 2 Seg Unit, which is where a lot of the problems are being found.

And when they went on the unit, they all wore face masks. That angered the offenders, because they don’t have face masks. So they began acting out. Set some mattresses on fire, began flooding the cell house. I’m told that they actually had to bring the TAC unit on to get them to escort them off the gallery. And then the next morning, the statewide TAC team showed up, did a shakedown of North 2.

The reports that I’m receiving are that they found K2, they found a bunch of other contraband, maybe a shank.

And then I’m also hearing that in the mail room, they found some fentanyl coming in through the mail. There were multiple individuals, again, taken to the hospital, some by ambulance on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. There are some unofficial reports coming out today, on Monday, that there’s another fentanyl exposure at Menard today, and I’m scheduled to go to Menard tomorrow to tour the facility. Let’s see if that happens. I’m willing to go. I don’t know if they willing to let me in, so I should find out later today if that happens.

* So, I reached out to IDOC for a response and received this late yesterday afternoon…

On Thursday, 9/5, Acting Director Hughes and executive staff members made an unannounced visit to Menard Correctional Center. As is standard practice, the director and staff were escorted by the Emergency Response Team (ERT), who were on-site for scheduled work that day. The Department maintains a long-standing practice, especially at a maximum-security facility, that assigned security staff and administrative staff escort the director and executive staff members during their visits.

The Department is currently urging all staff to utilize PPE including masks and the Acting Director and staff followed that protocol. All individuals in custody can request masks, and one individual did during the tour and his request was promptly granted. During the tour, the group visited a housing unit floor to speak with individuals in custody. There were reports of individuals in custody flooding their cells in North 2, and water was observed on the floor in North 2. Additionally, there were reports of some individuals burning items, but none of the incidents necessitated using fire extinguishers or hoses. No events occurred during the visit that required the Emergency Response Team (ERT) to escort the group out of the gallery or any other part of the facility. The facility has been on a level 1 lockdown since August 28 to allow for a thorough investigation of ongoing challenges related to employees reporting medical symptoms. Individuals in custody have expressed their concern to the director, and IDOC is working to return to normal operations as soon as possible.

On Friday, 9/6, the TACT Team began their previously scheduled searches as part of the ongoing investigation at Menard. During the searches, the team discovered a piece of paper, which yielded a preliminary positive result for synthetic cannabinoids. An additional discovery from the mailroom revealed a book with several pages being covered in an oily substance, which yielded a preliminary positive result for Fentanyl.

On Saturday 9/7, TACT continued searches and confiscated two improvised weapons and made two separate discoveries of pieces of paper that yielded a preliminary positive result for synthetic cannabinoids.

During cell searches on Sunday 9/8, the TACT team located a liquid substance in a nasal spray bottle, but preliminary testing did not yield any known substance. Additionally on Sunday 9/8, the team located pieces of paper saturated in an unknown substance, which yielded a preliminary positive result for synthetic cannabinoids. The Department is working with the Illinois State Police (ISP) to conduct further testing of those items. All substances located during the searches on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday were sent to ISP for additional testing.

On Monday 9/9, TACT continued searches and made three different recoveries of pieces of paper that yielded a preliminary positive result for synthetic cannabinoids. These items were sent to ISP for additional testing.

In a separate incident on Monday, 9/9, one staff member from the mailroom started exhibiting symptoms while opening mail and was transported to an outside hospital via ambulance. The remaining staff in the mailroom were then relocated to the facility’s warehouse. While in the warehouse, another mailroom employee exhibited symptoms and was transported to an outside hospital via ambulance. Subsequently, two other staff members, who were not in the mailroom but came in contact with the first two mailroom employees, started exhibiting symptoms and were taken to the outside hospital via ambulance. Later, one mailroom staff member reported feeling ill and was transported to an outside hospital via state vehicle. Another mailroom staff member was taken to the hospital by state vehicle without symptoms for precautionary measures. All impacted staff were treated and released. A team consisting of members of the Illinois State Police (ISP), supported by members of the Illinois National Guard, were on-site to assist with testing items of concern in the mailroom. The investigation into the recent events at Menard are ongoing.