FCC Victorville Prison Staff Members Hospitalized After Drug Exposure

VICTORVILLE , CA, UNITED STATES, April 11, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Two staff members at the United States Penitentiary Victorville were rushed to a local hospital on Wednesday evening, April 9, 2025, after exposure to an unknown substance. This incident adds to the growing crisis at FCC Victorville, where more than 20 staff members have been exposed to dangerous drugs/ substances in the past year alone.

This emergency follows the tragic death of Marc Fischer, a veteran mailroom supervisor at U.S. Penitentiary Atwater and former Coast Guard servicemember, who died in August 2024 after handling contaminated mail just months before his planned retirement.

The incident highlights the growing crisis in federal correctional facilities, where prison overdoses have increased by 600% in recent years due to drug traffickers exploiting mail systems.

Bipartisan legislation, H.R. 1046 in the House and S.1295 in the Senate, known as the "Marc Fischer Memorial Interdiction of Fentanyl in Postal Mail at Federal Prisons Act," currently awaits congressional action.

The legislation would mandate:

• Installation of advanced mail screening technology across all facilities
• Creation of dedicated off-site screening centers
• Enhanced resources for drug detection equipment
• Comprehensive protocols for screening legal mail

The bill, introduced in the House by Representative Don Bacon (NE-02) and in the Senate by Senator Jim Justice (R-WV), has garnered strong bipartisan support and endorsements from prison staff unions, safety advocates, and lawmakers across party lines. A pilot program has demonstrated the effectiveness of off-site mail screening but faces termination due to budget constraints.

"The mail system remains the primary route for drugs entering our facilities," says Kendall Bowles, President of AFGE Local 3969. "Without proper screening measures, we're gambling with our officers' lives."

AFGE Local 3969 urges Congress and the U.S. Attorney General to expedite the passage of H.R. 1046/S.1295 and implement comprehensive screening procedures across all federal correctional facilities.

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About AFGE Local 3969
AFGE Local 3969 represents federal correctional workers at FCC Victorville and advocates for the safety and well-being of prison staff nationwide.

Kendall Bowles
AFGE Local 3969
+1 909-553-0775
spcbowles@yahoo.com
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