For information contact: Melinda Brazzale, (307) 777-6085
Michael Pacheco has been named the new Deputy Warden for the soon-to-be-completed Wyoming Medium Correctional Institution (WMCI) in Torrington, Wyoming. Mr. Pacheco was named to the position by Wyoming Department of Corrections (WDOC) Director Bob Lampert as a promotion from his previous position of Associate Warden at the Wyoming Honor Conservation Camp and Wyoming Boot Camp (WHCC) in Newcastle, Wyoming. The appointment was effective November 1, 2008.
In making the announcement, Director Lampert said that until such time as a replacement has been hired for the Associate Warden position in Newcastle and Mr. Pacheco has had an opportunity to mentor his replacement in that role, he will remain in Newcastle. Deputy Warden Pacheco will also be tasked with beginning the development of a transition plan, including time lines, for the opening of WMCI in Torrington. Until the facility actually opens, he will be leading the transition team in planning for and preparing staff for its opening, at which time he will assume full-time duty as Deputy Warden for WMCI.
Mike Pacheco came to WDOC in 1992 as a correctional officer at the Wyoming State Penitentiary (WSP) in Rawlins after having participated in Desert Shield/Desert Storm with the 8th Engineer Support Battalion of the United States Marine Corps. Prior to taking a break in service for the purpose of attaining his Associate's degree in 1996, Mr. Pacheco promoted to Corporal and then to Correctional Sergeant.
In November 1997, he returned to the Wyoming State Penitentiary as a Sergeant, where he worked as part of the management team for segregation and protective custody. In January 2002, Mr. Pacheco assumed duties as a unit manager, where he remained until his April 2006 selection as Associate Warden at the Wyoming Honor Conservation Camp and Wyoming Boot Camp in Newcastle.
As Mr. Pacheco completes his 16th year of service with the State of Wyoming, he is pleased by the prospect of again being a part of an institutional transition team, like the team who prepared for the opening of the WSP South Facility in Rawlins.
“I am pleased and excited to be taking on the challenges of Deputy Warden at a brand new state-of-the-art facility designed to maximize opportunities for evidence-based practices and evidence-informed decision making, building on the experience I gained at both WSP and WHCC,” he said.
Mike Pacheco is married to Kindra Pacheco and they have two children, a 19 year old son and a 16 year old daughter.
The new Torrington prison is slated to open in January 2010. It will be a medium security men's facility housing approximately 700 inmates. Mr. Pacheco's position is one of the key management positions for the new prison that are currently being filled. Others being recruited for are a Human Resources Manager, Human Resources Specialist, Safety Manager, and an administrative clerical position. Positions already hired are an Assistant Maintenance Manager, one administrative clerical position and four caseworkers (temporarily working in Rawlins). The bulk of the positions for the new prison will be advertised in spring 2009 and filled starting in June 2009. For more information visit the department's website at http://corrections.wy.gov/