IDOC Wall of Shame #2
This post is part of an ongoing series intended to expose the worst of the worst of IDOC officials and staff.
Please listen to the interview with Q (aka Quentin Abbott #988177), as he describes how Sgt. Donaldson has been working to sabotage the Recovering While Incarcerated (RWI) program at WVCF, and how when Q stood up to him, Sgt. Donaldson began spreading nasty and dangerous rumors about Q in order to put him in harm’s way (conduct totally unbecoming of an officer), in violation of IDOC Policy & Procedure. Here is the full story, transcribed from the audio below:
In or around June 2018, I, Quentin Abbott #988177, was accepted into the Recovery While Incarcerated program here at (W.V.C.F.) Wabash Valley Correctional Facility. Soon thereafter I was selected to be a Conflict Resolution Mentor and Facilitator of the R.W.I. program which assigned me additional responsibilities. While in this program I excelled as both a participant as well as a Conflict Resolution Mentor; however, that success was short lived due to a major disruption caused by a custody staff change within the program dorm on one day shift/bracket. This custody staff change was done because Sergeant Donaldson and his crew were unable to function and operate G Housing Unit which at that time was a Restrictive Status Housing Unit. As a result, Donaldson and his crew were put in charge of the R.W.I. dorm.
Shortly after this change in staff Sgt. Donaldson began refusing to allow myself and other participants of the program out of our cells to participate in the mandatory peer led groups, one on one mentoring sessions, and other mandatory criteria of the R.W.I. program. Then director of the R.W.I. program Mr. Brian Peek began inquiring as to why all of a sudden the disruptions within the program which had been functioning higher than expected (prior to the custody staff changes), after having been informed by numerous participants that their assignments were not getting done, nor were we being allowed to come out our cells and attend one on one mentoring sessions, the peer led substance abuse classes, and other mandatory functions within the criteria of the program; Mr. Peek came to the dorm and pulled out all the facilitators and mentors and questioned us in regard to these claims. All other facilitators and mentors were too scared too [sic] confirm these claims due to their fear Sergeant Donaldson would target and retaliate against them for having reported his destructive and unprofessional behaviors. I was the only person present who confirmed the claims made by other participants. Mr. Peek at that time assured me he would address Sgt. Donaldson’s behavior(s) and he would not allow me to be targeted by Donaldson.
Shortly thereafter there were no changes to Donaldson’s destructive behavior(s); thus the director Mr. Peek once again came to the dorm, this time accompanied by Sgt. Donaldson, at that time they again pulled out all facilitators and mentors and Mr. Peek again asked all present what was the cause of all the sudden yet confusing dysfunction(s) of the program. As expected all present did not say anything due to their fears of being targeted by Donaldson, so at that time I again spoke out on Donaldson’s behavior(s) which was sabotaging the participants progress in the program. At that time Sgt. Donaldson stood up, began to walk off while stating that he did not give a fuck, he was going to run the dorm however he felt, and wasn’t anyone going to tell him shit, he had been at this facility for twenty-something years and was going to do as he wanted. I then looked at Mr. Peek and informed him that now he had witnessed the problems first hand; in response Mr. Peek instructed all present to go back to our cells and secure, and we did as was instructed of us. Approximately 45 minutes later Mr. Peek pulled me out and assured me that he had spoken with Sgt. Donaldson who was now apologetic and had agreed to comply with the program functions, activities, and criteria; after having been informed of this I returned to my cell. Later on that afternoon Sgt. Donaldson came to my cell door and proceeded to inform me that he didn’t give a fuck what Mr. Peek had to said, he was going to run the dorm however the fuck he wanted. In response I asked him (Donaldson) if was he mad or upset and to tell that same stuff to Mr. Peek and to meanwhile get away from in front of the cell door. Donaldson at that time left from in front of the cell door. For approximately the next three weeks to a month Donaldson for the most part operated the dorm according to the program criteria, etc….
However, this new compliance from Sgt. Donaldson was short lived, Donaldson again began refusing to allow us participants out of our cells for program functions and activities. Once again Mr. Peek began inquiring about the recent failings of the program and its participants; on 11/30/2018 during the weekly R.W.I. program dorm meeting we (the facilitators; mentors) were again asked what was the cause of the latest disruption(s) within the program. I waited several minutes to see if one of the other facilitators or mentors would inform all present (then Warden Richard Brown, then Asst. Warden Frank Littlejohn, Cpt. M. Voigtschild, Lt. Fischer, Sgt. Donaldson, then Director of R.W.I. Brian Peek, Case Manager Amber Cutliff, etc…) that Sgt. Donaldson’s refusal to comply with program criteria and count letters, etc… was the source of the recent dysfunction(s), however once again I was forced to speak out and inform those present that all the disruptions could be linked to Sgt. Donaldson and date back to the change in custody staff. In response then Asst. Warden Frank Littlejohn (who was seated next to Donaldson and the two had been whispering back and forth while I was informing all present of Donaldson’s behavior and refusal to comply with the program’s criteria and count letters) began to question me as if I were lying; in response I informed Littlejohn that a few of his accusations were accurate but the vast majority of his information was inaccurate or a flat out lie. Sgt. Donaldson all the while was staring at me smirking and snickering. So I then requested of him “that while you sitting over smirking and snickering tell everyone what you had came to my cell door and told me; didn’t you say that you didn’t give a fuck what anyone said, that you had been here for twenty something years and was going to run the dorm however the fuck you wanted?”
Before I was able to finish this statement both Lt. Fischer and Frank Littlejohn both rushed to Donaldson’s defense and immediately began to inform me “to hold on and wait a minute ‘Q’ there will be none of that and that I couldn’t talk to an officer like that; at that time and realization that they were on some good ol boys a.k.a. staff versus inmates stuff and there was no logic to be found. I silently walked to my cell location and requested that the cell door be closed, at which time the officer working the control pod secured my cell door. Shortly after C/O Miller approached my cell location and instructed me to pack up I was moving to PHU. I complied with Officer Miller’s instructions and was moved.
In January 2019 I began writing several [authorities]. So after a period of 30 days of writing various case managers, unit team managers, the warden, everybody, internal affairs, I finally began receiving responses. Even though I never received a conduct report for what took place, I never got an evaluation from the program, why was I being kicked out of the program contrary to IDOC and the program procedures? That’s when I was informed that I wou
ld be placed on the opposite side of the prison from this officer for a period of at least 90 days. They thought that I needed to be removed to de-escalate the situation. I had not wanted to return to the program because of being scared of this officer, of him being so ignorant and keeping targeting me. When I left the program on November 30, 2018, he began telling some of the inmates that they had found out “Abbott was snitching, turning in anonymous tips, informing on stuff in the program,” and that’s why they kicked me out. That’s not why I got kicked out at all, nothing of the sort has ever happened.
I ended up eventually coming back on this side of the prison, and I had an encounter with Sgt. Donaldson. I asked him about the allegations I had heard he was making, and he denied ever saying anything like that. Internal Affairs had come to speak with me about it, asking me what I wanted to do, because, “You know he’s not going to admit to it. We believe you, but what can we do, he’s not going to admit to it.” They just recently put me back in the vicinity of this man today, and out on the rec yard he seen me and began telling the inmate workers in F house that I was a snitch. I received a letter from an inmate about this incident.
“Q,
What’s up homie, you good over there? All is well I hope. Check it out: I’m about to run something by you that you won’t like, but I think you will appreciate that I feel obligated to tell you. We got history and you are one of the most solid dudes I know. Check it out: I got into it with this punk ass sergeant today over him running his mouth about you. His name is Sgt. Donaldson. He was badmouthing you bad, calling you a ‘snitching-ass bitch’ over and over until I stuck up for you. All this causing trouble over and over, about how you were telling on everything in the program. But I went off on him today and lost my job over it. I stuck up for you and checked him. I told him that you were no plaything and were one of the most solid dudes I know. Also that he had his nerve to say anything about anyone when he’s the police running around here with a badge on his shirt. I for real went off on him.
Anyways, I’m about to file a grievance on this sergeant for badmouthing you and putting you in danger and taking my job away for speaking up for you. I don’t know how you feel about all this, but that’s my move right now. For real, you’re my dude, I got nothing but love for you. Please get at me and let me know if you’re in agreement, because that shit ain’t cool.”
So that’s the brunt of all this chaos between me and this particular Sgt. Donaldson. Now, I’d do anything to avoid this man, but he’s going above and beyond to create situations between me and him. The administration at the prison is already aware of it, so I don’t know what else it’s going to take to possibly get transferred or resolve this in a conducive manner.
If [people on the outside] can call down to this facility and demand to speak to internal affairs or the warden, inform them that I feel in danger because of this sergeant running around telling other offenders I’m a snitch, trying to have something done to me. His allegations are completely false. And I’ll speak for my wellbeing, I need support to call this facility and central office and demand a transfer or address what this officer is doing, cus it’s putting me in harm’s way.
Update from Q, 4/14/21:
I want you to let he world know if these people kill me i fought the good fight and the smart way with pen and paper, and not hatred with hatred or ignorance with ignorance. I sought help from these prison officials grievance process and verbally. On 04/08/2021 I spoke with Lt. Fischer and made him aware of this sergeant Donaldson’s behavior. Only to get no relief then as i informed you that very night the sergeant Donaldson pull overtime and coincidentally worked the cellhouse i am currently being housed in, and as I informed you he stared me down the duration of that evenings recreation. Then Monday morning out of the blue I was served with cell confinement papers and have been on cell restrictions since then and on that Monday at lunch and dinner the sergeant again coincidentally worked our cellhouse (GHU) and while serving GHU offender population trays just sat downstairs yet directly in front of my cell smirking at me the whole time. Today I was served a DHB continuance paper which tells me that I have been targeted and written up, in retaliation for me exercising my constitutional right to speaks, yet again another 8th amendment violation. I am scared they will try to harm or kill me. I told the case manager Brian Mifflin I wanted to check in to protective custody due to I fear the officers are going to continue to retaliate. I have even had officers tell me “what’s going on is crazy and they think the higher ups are conspiring to set me up”, due to some of the officers chatter as well as they don’t understand how I requested help with this issue and am now being punished”. How is it the officer and inmate that got into it (which is what reignited all this bs) are unscathed, yet here it is I am being screwed around and never started nor was involved in the bs?
Please call WVCF and IDOC Central office and express your concern for Q’s safety!
WVCF: (812) 398-5050 ext. 0
IDOC Central Office: (317) 232-5711 ext. 2, ext. 3, ext. 2
Script:
“Hello, I am calling to express my concern for the safety of Mr. Quentin Abbott #988177. Sgt. Donaldson at WVCF is spreading lies and rumors about Mr. Abbott in order to put him in harm’s way, after Mr. Abbott stood up to Sgt. Donaldson about his mismanagement of the RWI unit. Please see to it that Mr. Abbott is transferred or Sgt. Donaldson is appropriately reprimanded for his misconduct, which violates IDOC Policy & Procedure governing the conduct of officers.”