Excessive jail term prompts inquiry at Bangor facility

BANGOR – Penobscot County Jail officials are investigating the “inadvertent” incarceration of an inmate there.

The unidentified male inmate was mistakenly held behind bars for nearly two months after his probation officer verbally authorized his release, according to county officials.

The recent incident has prompted the jail to review its procedures when releasing an inmate at the request of local probation officers, according to Penobscot County Sheriff’s Department Capt. Cheryl Gallant, who confirmed Friday that the department had begun an internal investigation into a case in which an inmate was “inadvertently” held at the jail.

Gallant, the jail administrator, would neither name the inmate nor specify the length of his mistaken stay behind bars.

Penobscot County Commissioner Peter Baldacci said Friday evening that he had been advised that the inmate had been held for about 50 days longer than required.

According to Gallant, the inmate’s probation officer verbally authorized the release in a telephone call to jail officials, but it appeared “that message was never passed on.”

Gallant added that the verbal request was not followed by a written authorization, which presumably would have prompted the inmate’s release.

The inmate brought the situation to the attention of jail personnel, who upon checking the records, found that the probation hold had not been formally lifted, she said.

“It’s not unusual for people to say that they’re not supposed to be here,” Gallant added.

Charles O’Roak, regional correctional administrator for the Department of Corrections Bangor-based probation and parole bureau, said his department, too, would review its procedures when requesting the release of a person picked up on a probation hold.

In a system in which probation officers and jail personnel often are on first-name bases, O’Roak said the local department does not require a written authorization of release. However, O’Roak said he would meet with jail officials next week to discuss measures both departments could take to ensure the situation does not repeat itself.

“Nobody wants this to happen,” O’Roak said. “We wanted this guy out. They wanted this guy out.”

County Commissioner Tom Davis, upon learning of the situation, said he believed written authorization should be required before any inmates – including those picked up on probation violations – are released from the jail into the community.

“I can’t just call up Supermax and say, ‘Hey let Tom Davis out,'” he said. “I would think you’d need something in writing.

“I would say it’s a shame that we paid to feed him for [that time] if we didn’t have to,” Davis added.

County commissioners are likely to take up the matter at their next meeting, Baldacci said, adding that he had “every confidence” that the jail administrators would effectively address the situation.

O’Roak, who has worked in the corrections system for 28 years, including 5 years as the probation office’s supervisor for six Maine counties, said he never has encountered a similar situation.

“Most of the inmates I know are pretty vocal about that sort of thing,” O’Roak said.